


Apartments of Anarchy

by Insane_but_smart



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: (¬‿¬), Absence, Annoyance, Blue can't afford things, Blushing, But I Think That's Obvious, Café, Cat Cafe, Chaos, Chocolate, Crushes, Cuddles, Cult, Demons, Dream is a horrible driver, Flirting, Fluff, Fourth Wall Break, Friendly Raids, Fun Chaos, GAY!, Ghosts, I Cameo My Friends Because Yes, I Can't Believe I Didn't Add That Tag Sooner!(tm), I Don't Have Any Plans For This Fic, I'm Trying To Make This as Memey as Possible, Ink is better than Dream at driving, Legends, Libraries, Lore - Freeform, M/M, Moving, Mysterious Writing, Night Terrors, Nightmare is not corrupted, Nightmares, Nobody is Safe, Notes, Other, Paintball, Paranormal Things, Pining, Pranks, Red Paint, Rituals, Road Trip, Shampoo - Freeform, Shipkids But They're Cats, So many tropes, Spirits, Strange Dreams, Summoning, The RV is going to fall over, There's only One Bed!, Tropes, Tumbly Wumbly, UNO, Vines, and they were roomates, group chats, ink will evict you, movies - Freeform, myths, paint, ships, shrines, so many vines, so much chaos, spoopy, uwu
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-01
Updated: 2020-08-29
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:14:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 20,036
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22502326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Insane_but_smart/pseuds/Insane_but_smart
Summary: A bunch of idiots living in an apartment block run by the embodiment of chaos?Seems legit.
Relationships: Dust/Killer (Undertale), Ink/shampoo, Sans/Sans (Undertale)
Comments: 85
Kudos: 132





	1. And So It Begins...

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Group Project](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19176604) by [CurriedSugar](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CurriedSugar/pseuds/CurriedSugar). 



> Okay- the whole idea of this fic comes from the fact I told my friend about Ink's shampoo addiction in Group Project.  
> Then... this just... happened.  
> Have fun reading it, I guess!

Ink was sitting in his apartment, sipping some shampoo-that-he-totally-hadn’t-stolen-from-someone. He had a vague feeling he was meant to be doing something productive, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. Was it another painting? No, he had just done one a week ago, that couldn’t be it. Was it a digital pi- oh, right, he didn’t do digital art.

He finished off the shampoo bottle and sighed. What was it? He reached into his satchel of shampoo to get another one when his finger brushed his notepad. Oh, he could just check his notes! If it was that important, he would have written it down. Right? Probably. Humming, he flipped though the pad of (hopefully) salvation, looking for that day’s notes. What day _was_ it? He placed the pad down, picking up his phone to check, only to receive a notification.

Oh- he had to go check on his tenants today, of course. Ink, _literally_ dropping everything, ran to get ready, knocking over several things in the process. Somehow within the next 5 minutes this disaster of a skeleton managed to pull himself together, enough to get out the door not looking like he had absolutely no idea what he was doing. Somehow. As he was exiting his apartment, he adjusted his white, paint-splattered hoodie one last time, and walked out of the door.

First stop: Blue’s apartment. It was almost directly outside of Ink’s- he barely had to walk 5 steps to get there. Ink had to search through his large collection of keys in order to find Blue’s. Apartment… Ink glanced up at the apartment number. Apartment 414. After taking a moment to find the corresponding key, Ink unlocked the door and walked inside.

Immediately, Ink’s non-existent-nose was assaulted by the smell of something cooking- and for once, not burning. Hearing the door open, Blue poked his head out of the kitchen, “Hey, Ink!” Blue greeted him warmly. “What brings you here?” 

Ink grinned. “Are you actually cooking something without burning it?” he joked. 

Blue grimaced. “Did you _have_ to bring that up? I got better at cooking- I swear, I’m not going to burn down this apartment.”

“I hope so!”

“Anyways, why’re you here, apart from to make fun of me?” Blue’s eyes narrowed, and he pointed a finger at Ink accusingly. “Did you swallow a bottle cap again?”

It was Ink’s turn to wince. That had been less fun than he had expected, and _way_ more painful than he’d thought. “I have to do my monthly inspection-thing. I’ll be here for 10 minutes.” 

Blue sighed. “Alright then, I’ll leave you alone. Just- actually, nevermind.” Ink, doing a kawaii anime pose, turned around and headed into the rest of the apartment.

Ink walked into the bathroom, checking to see whether or not Blue had followed. Nope. _Perfect_ . He quickly grabbed a bottle of shampoo, a bottle of conditioner, and tossed them in his satchel. Ink then began to check the rest of the bathroom over, in case he had missed any part of the loot. There _was_ a bar of soap sitting on the counter, taunting him, but he ignored it. He had enough of those already- even though he tended to run out of soap when he got _really_ hungry.

The rest of the check-in went pretty smoothly; Ink found a hidden stash of shampoo in the bedroom thanks to his shampoo-senses, and Blue actually _didn’t_ burn down the apartment. Blue had a sneaking suspicion Ink had found his stash of shampoo, since the ball of walking chaos seemed to be unusually happy, and his satchel also seemed a bit heavier. Yeah, Ink had probably found it. Oh well, he’d have to buy more, or just get Error to loan him the copy of Ink’s apartment keys which he inexplicably had. As Blue plotted his revenge, Ink left the apartment, continuing on to the next person’s.

That person happened to be Error. Ink had forgotten what his apartment looked like, having not been in it for a month. He was pretty sure it was monochrome- but which color was it? Ink stopped at the apartment door, having to check again to see which key to use. Grabbing the white key labeled ‘416’, he opened the apartment door.

He was immediately taken aback by the sheer... _lack_ of color. He had forgotten how _white_ the entire apartment was. It was- the overwhelming blankness ate at his very soul. He wasn’t sure _why_ it hurt him so badly. Maybe he had some forgotten trauma? Repressed memories? Nevertheless, the utter emptiness- he was going to get Error to paint his apartment. He _had_ to.

Error was watching Undernovela, complete with stolen food from the back of Red’s fridge, sitting on the carpet. Somehow, Red had failed to note that there was a _gaping hole_ in his fridge. Whatever the case, Error had food and Undernovela. Then Ink opened the door. He just… stood there for a moment, not doing anything, seemingly lost in thought. Then, he proceeded walked all the way into Error’s apartment. “So, uh, Error! Your apartment is… really white.”

Error glanced up at Ink. “Yes, I _noticed_ , probably because I painted it like that. Your point?” 

Ink glanced around. “Could you… maybe paint it, please? Decorations? I don’t- How do you live with….” Ink gestured around himself, vaguely. 

“Why?” Error asked, confused. 

“How is your apartment so _blank_? How do you live like this?” Ink practically wailed.

“God, Ink. Relax- why do you need to know, anyways?” Error glared at Ink from the floor.

“You know what- nevermind.” Ink sighed, not wanting to be there longer than he had to be. Maybe he could just ask Error to change it later? He continued into the apartment, determined to get out as fast as possible. It was primarily white, through his ceiling _was_ covered in blue strings… for some reason. At least there was _some_ color there.

It passed the inspection- so Ink grabbed his shampoo bottles and got the hell out of there, Error complaining about the ‘kidnapping of his shampoo’. Tch. _Clearly_ , Error had no respect for shampoo. It was… just a permanent borrowing of it, that was all.

As Ink was about to exit, Error stuck his hand into a hole in his wall, which had been covered by a white canvas, and pulled out some food. Ink paused for a moment, and then continued on like it was the most normal thing he had ever seen. _That’s new,_ Ink thought, entering the hallway. _But still not weird enough to go on the weird list!_

Next up was Red’s apartment- one of the two people living here he didn’t know much about. Finding the red key (painted by yours truly!), Ink opened the door to apartment 418. This was one of his favorite apartments. It said a lot about Red as a person, _and_ it was aesthetically pleasing!

It was mainly darker shades of red and gray, but there was a bit of yellow and some lighter grays in the mix as well. It was messy, sure, but on the whole, it wasn’t that bad. “Hey, Re-!” Ink began, walking in, only to pause. Red wasn’t there. Ink paused a few seconds before yelling, “Hey, Red, can I talk to you for a minute?” There was a brief pause, before the reply came. “Yea’, one sec.”

Red walked into the living room, hands in his pockets. “‘Sup, Ink.” Ink waved at him. “You ready for inspection?” he asked. Red shrugged. “Sure. Just to let ya know, someone’s been takin’ my food.” 

Ink looked over at him for a moment, before shrugging. “Well, that’s unfortunate- but did you know that Error’s got a hole in his wall he pulls food out of instead of a fridge? It’s pretty weird.” 

Red’s expression darkened. “That dirty lil’- I’ll get back a’ ‘im, don’tcha worry ‘bout that.”

Ink frowned. “I wasn’t worrying about it, but okay! Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some shampoo and conditioner to consume!” He skipped into the rest of the apartment, chugging some conditioner as he did so. 

Red stared down the hallway, about to turn back around when he heard Ink exclaim, “That was a really sweet bottle! What brand was that?” Red rolled his eyes, getting back to… whatever he was doing before.

After about 15 minutes, Ink came skipping back in, looking slightly dazed. “Hey Red? I figured out who’s stealing your shamp- I mean, regular person food.” His words were slightly slurred. “It’s Error,” he continued. “He’s bending space and time somehow- it makes perfect sense!”

Ink hiccuped- and a few soap bubbles came out. He blinked after seeing them, then began to pop them all, one by one. Red stared at him, slowly backing away, as you would if you had encountered a feral animal.. Ink then exited the apartment, leaving Red to do… whatever he was previously doing.

Ink flounced off to go find Dream, probably to screech at the other to switch apartments with him again. Once again, it probably wouldn’t work. _Oh well,_ Ink thought, unlocking the door to apartment 420. _It’s always worth a shot!_


	2. Books, Paint, and Loss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ink gets an unpleasant surprise, multiple times.  
> For better or worse, he knows how to get his revenge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a direct continuation of the last chapter.

Ink yeeted down the hall and to Dream’s apartment, pulling out the golden key. Stabbing it into the keyhole, he unlocked the door and cartwheeled in. Dream, meanwhile, was sitting on a beanbag placed in the left corner of the heavily yellow colored room. He looked up from his laptop to stare at Ink for a moment. “Ink, why are you in my apartment again?” He sighed. “That’s the third time this week you’ve done this.”

Ink paused, tilting his head for a moment. “Really? I don’t remember doing that, but okay!” He grinned at Dream, who just groaned good-naturedly in response.

“Why are you here?”

“Uh…. oh! I have to do the… uh, check-up thingy. Again.” 

“Well, I guess I can’t stop you-”

Dream was cut off by Ink running into the rest of his apartment. That was… actually an ideal interaction with Ink, surprisingly enough. Usually the other would end up pranking him. Of course, Ink was going to take his shampoo- Dream knew that already- but that’s why he had already used the entire shampoo bottle, and for good measure, filled it with water.

It was easy to plan for things like that. 

Dream smiled a bit at this, going back to writing his  ~~ fanfiction ~~ thing that was _not_ fanfiction.  _ “It’s okay,” he said, holding up his hands, palms up. “I’m not going to hurt you...” _

Ink claimed his shampoo bottle from Dream’s apartment, hoisting it into the air like a video game character. “Ink obtained the Shampoo Bottle!” he exclaimed, feeling very accomplished. He didn’t seem to notice that the bottle was filled with water, but, then again, Ink rarely noticed things like that. He placed it into his satchel gleefully.

Dream, hearing the outburst, facepalmed.

Ink flounced into the living room, where Dream was still writing  ~~fanfiction~~ . “See ya~” He waved at Dream with a wink, before Naruto running into the hallway. Dream, once again, facepalmed, this time with a sigh.

Ink almost crashed into Nightmare’s apartment’s door, but managed to stop himself in time. Pulling out the purple-gray key, he unlocked the door to apartment 421 with a flourish. “Hey Nightmare, what’re you… doing…?” Ink pauses in his greeting, smelling fresh paint. Where’s it coming from-

He stops, seeing almost all of the so-called ‘cultists’ sitting on the floor in a circle, surrounded by buckets of red paint. “What are you doing?” Ink asked. Dust looked up at him, surprised. “Uh- what does it look like we’re doing?” he asks, gesturing to himself, Horror, and Killer, who looked absolutely done with his boyfriend. Apparently, Nightmare wasn’t present.

“Summoning things? Again?”

“Correct!”

“Oh! Is Nightmare here? I kinda need to speak with him.”

Dust studied Ink for a moment before answering. “Is it about apartment stuff?”

“Yeah, it’s basically that- wait, he’s still the one paying for the place, right?”

Dust nodded. “Yeah, though Killer and Horror help out too.” Killer interjected, scowling, “You don’t contribute anything, you leech!” 

Dust turned around, smirking. “And what if I don’t? That’s why you love me, isn’t it?”

“I- yes, I love you, but that’s not _ why- _ ”

They’re all interrupted by Nightmare entering the room. “How’s the summoning goin-” Nightmare paused, narrowing his lilac eyelights at Ink. “When did you get here? I swore I put wards on the-” He cut himself off. “Nevermind. What do you want now?”

“Uhhh… oh! Yeah! Checkup time!” Ink practically sang the last part, and unfortunately for the cultists, he was terribly tone-deaf. Everyone (minus Ink, of course) covered their non-existent ears, wincing in pain. After the demonic screeching, courtesy of Ink, had subsided, Nightmare shrugged, bemused. “Do what you’ve gotta do, I guess.”

Obviously, something was up. Normally, Nightmare would  _ never _ have let Ink search his apartment so easily, but Ink was more of a ‘do now, think later’ person. He simply bounced off to do his inspection, and probably steal some of Nightmare’s shampoo while he was at it.

Nightmare smirked, knowing how enraged Ink would be when he discovered-

Ink’s pained screech echoed through the apartment when he discovered that he couldn’t steal the shampoo. There were literal  _ wards _ on the shampoo preventing him from taking any. Who knew the world was so  _ cruel _ ? Ink almost broke down into sobs right then and there, but he managed to hold himself together. He was going to make it through this, somehow.

At Ink’s scream, Nightmare almost couldn’t hold back his manic laughter. Well, that confirmed his theory. It was now proven by scientific deduction that Ink was a demon. He couldn’t stand it any longer, bursting into peals of laughter, the vibrations shaking him. Dust grinned. “Well, that explains a lot.”

Killer looked at his boyfriend. “Yeah, but who the hell thought it was a good idea to summon  _ Ink _ of all people? That’s the worst idea anyone could possibly have!” The pair began to debate amongst themselves quietly as they continued to paint the summoning circle.

A few minutes later, Ink appeared once more in the living room, both his eyelights red with fury. “What did you  _ do? _ ” Dust whispered to Nightmare, tone contradictory to the grin he bore.. Nightmare flinched, internally screaming.  _ Oh god, he was screwed, he was going to die- _

Ink glared at Nightmare before leaving wordlessly. Somehow, that was the worst thing he could have done, because it could only mean one thing. 

Pranks. The gang was left to ponder the gravity of the gesture, and continued to paint the summoning circle in an ominous silence.

Ink was fuming. Who did Nightmare think he was, to restrict his shampoo consumption? He took a deep breath, opening a bottle of shampoo in order to drink away his sorrows. By the time he had finished three bottles, he’d forgotten why he was angry.

So, he continued on with the next thing on his mental list. Checking on Sans!

Sans was actually his first tennant, but, as with Red, he didn’t know him too well. Ink was pretty sure he had either depression or anxiety, judging by the pills he had found while scouting the bathroom for shampoo.

Humming to himself, Ink unlocked the door of apartment 419, pushing it open and stepping inside. Sans wasn’t there, and judging by the fact that there were no lights on, he was pretty sure he wasn’t home, either. Ink shrugged, before a blue sticky note on the table caught his eye.

_‘_ _hey. i’m staying at my bro’s place for about a week. Ink, if you come in,_ _do not_ _,_ _under_ ** _any_** _circumstance, steal my shampoo. trust me, i’ll know if you do._ _’_

The note was written in Sans’s lazy, but readable scrawl. If Dream had seen Sans’s poor punctuation skills, the writer would have died on the spot. Ink giggled just thinking about it, then  pouted, knowing that this wouldn’t impact his stock of shampoo that much. However, as revenge, Ink was going to steal something else.

Sans really should’ve known better.

Ink giggled as he placed the pink comb into his satchel, his chosen prize from the raid on Sans’s apartment. He knew how much Sans treasured it, so if the other asked , he’d give it back. Maybe. Probably. Actually, Ink wasn’t entirely sure yet. Oh well.

Sighing at the loss of his shampoo, Ink remembered there was a dollar store down the street. Most dollar stores carried shampoo, right? Ink opened the door to his apartment, ready to mass-purchase some, unaware of the chaos he would bring.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I SWEAR, THAT WAS THE LAST INTRO CHAPTER.  
> Now the real madness begins...


	3. We Tried...? (Chaos and a Summoning)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some idiots summon stuff, and Dust annoys everyone.  
> Nightmare thinks about someone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alternatively titled 'Gay Idiots Summon Stuff'.
> 
> I... am not as proud of this chapter as normal, I will say that. Editing was a PAIN for this- more than usual.

“Okay,” said Nightmare, running through his mental list. “I think that should be everything.” Dust smirked. “Aren’t you forgetting your boyfriend, boss?” Nightmare rolled his eyes, cheekbones lightly dusted with violet. “One, you  _ know _ I hate when you call me that, and two, Blue and I are  _ not dating _ .”

“Are you  _ sure _ ?” Dust asked, leaning forward, smirking suggestively.

“Yes, Dust. Now shut up, or you’re going to be sacrificed.”

Dust opened his mouth to retort, but Killer clamped a hand over the other’s mouth- albeit stifling snickers. “I am  _ not _ letting you risk your life today, Dust, so _ please _ , I beg of you,  _ shut the hell up. _ ”

Dust pouted, before shrugging. “Fine,” he replied, though his voice was muffled by Killer’s hand. Meanwhile, Nightmare pulled out his phone to call Blue over.

They were ready.

_ Ring.. Ring.. Rin- _ The ringing cut off a moment before Blue literally  _ burst _ into the room, almost knocking Dust over in the process, but he managed to sidestep the bundle of chaotic energy at the very last second. “Oh, hey Blue,” Dust said casually, unfazed. “You ready to-”

“ _ YesohmygoshI’vebeenstaringatmyphoneforthelast30minuteswaitingtodothislet’sgoarewereadytostartdoweneedbloodorisitpaintagainItoldyoupaintneverworkswithoutaSOULsacrificebutyouguysneverlisten- _ ” Nightmare clamped a hand over Blue’s mouth. “Slow down.”

Blue blinked, fidgeting with a bundle of cloth he was holding for a moment- a dark grey cloak, Nightmare noted, and was in direct contrast to the pastel getup he wore. “Sorry- is this a paint summoning? I keep telling you guys they never work. The  _ one time _ we managed to summon something was when we used blood!”

“Blue, you know that’s reserved for the big guy.”

“Well, yeah, but still!” Blue pouted, seemingly annoyed. “If we want his attention, then we have to do it right from the start.”

“Shush, I’m not going to re-do the whole thing, we’ve been painting this for the past-” Nightmare checked his phone for the time, “-30 minutes, which, if you think about it is surprisingly slow for a group of 4 people.”

“Aww, but Nighty, you have high expectations. And we all know that  _ Dust _ didn’t contribute.” Blue turned to glare at said skeleton, who simply grinned in response. “Of course I did!” he exclaimed indignantly. “I’m the moral support.”

“Moral support.” Blue replied, arching a browbone, his words practically dripping with disbelief.

“Moral support.”

Blue shook his head in mock disappointment before turning back to Nightmare. “Why do you tolerate him?” 

Nightmare shrugged. “He helps with the summonings and he’s Killer’s boyfriend?”

“Okay, that’s a fair point.”

Nightmare sighed. “Ready to do this?”

“Why do you think I’m here?”

Dust, Blue, and Nightmare sat on the painted tarp, which had since dried.  _ Why did they have to paint a new tarp? _ you ask? The last time they attempted a summoning, they accidentally ripped it and screwed the whole thing up.

Killer and Horror were at work, and Nightmare didn’t have work that day, for better or for worse- only time would tell. They were all wearing dark grey cloaks over their regular clothes, for extra cult vibes.

Blue was sat in the middle of the pentacle, and previously, Dust had complained about that fact until he was reminded why it was so, and he shut up. He and Nightmare were sitting nearer to the edges of the messy red pentagram, and all three of them were holding lit candles.

Five minutes passed, and the boys had begun- and Dream could hear the whole thing. The walls were so  _ stupidly thin  _ that he could hear their otherworldly summons. He wanted to  _ scream _ . Why were they doing this _ now?!  _ He had to finish an essay- it was due tomorrow and he had put it off for so long he had nearly forgotten about it. He frowned. Did Nightmare choose to do it specifically because he had an essay due!?

Stars, was he pissed. Dream glared at the wall separating him from his idiot of a brother and once considered going over to the other’s apartment and talking him out of it, but decided against it. He groaned, knowing he’d have to just deal with it, slipping on his headphones and turning on some music in a vain attempt to drown out the obnoxiously demonic chanting, which would regularly be interrupted by giggles- and were quickly stifled.

Dream wanted to die.

Blue couldn’t help it- he couldn’t stop laughing. These  _ idiots _ \- He snickered. “Y- Y- You- N- N- Nightmare, you’re a  _ failure  _ of a cultist!“

“Hey! Shut up. We can debate my failures later!”

Blue shrugged. “We kinda already broke the circle.” Indeed, when Nightmare looked down, he discovered that the circle of salt that had been placed had been broken- and surprisingly, not by Dust, but by the leader himself.

Nightmare groaned. “We spent  _ one and a half hours _ making this and it’s not even a complete circle? Where did our proficiency go?“ 

Blue shrugged, moving to go sit on the couch. “I mean, we di-”

“Don’t sit there.”

“Why?”

“Killer and Dust… did the  _ thing _ , if you know what I mean.”

Blue flushed a bright cornflower blue, and he quickly dropped to sit cross-legged on the floor. “Y- You did  _ not _ need to say that.” Nightmare smirked at him. “Would you have listened if I didn’t?”

“...Okay, you have a point.”

Dust grinned suggestively, looking back and forth between the two. “You know, you two should-” Nightmare interjected. “Don’t.”

“-try it sometime.“ Dust continued, unimpeded. “Killz and I could show ‘ya the ropes.” His smirk widened as Blue squealed, burying his head in his hands, face burning with shame. Nightmare blinked, face impassive, but his deep lavender blush betrayed his emotions. 

He did love his small friend. He simply had no idea what the other thought of him- he was unpredictable, at times. Nightmare was near certain that if he did confess, and Blue didn’t share his feelings, their relationship wouldn’t change.

But there were always doubts.

If they had kept talking, they might not have noticed the whiteboard in front of them had a single word imprinted upon its previously blank surface, in uneven lettering: ‘Hello.’ 

Dust screamed, but of course, it was a manly scream, totally not one a teenage girl would be most likely to possess. 

“What. The. Hell,” Dust spoke, after a moment. Blue looked at him, before turning to Nightmare. “You’re not such a failure at summonings after all! And here I was thinking you were a complete ametur!”

Nightmare huffed. “I told you paint would be good enough.”

“O- shshshshSHHH _ HHH _ .” Blue quickly shushed the other two, gesturing to the now-blank board. “We should be paying more attention to that.” The trio leaned closer, Blue reading the letters aloud. “B-Y- come on!” he exclaimed, as the final letter, an ‘e’, appeared.

“It’s been like this for the past  _ 3 weeks _ .” Nightmare sighed. “Should we try a different one?” Blue hummed in thought. “I mean, we  _ could _ use a sacrifice.” He turned, eyeing Dust. “Hmm… hold still for a moment, would ‘ya?”

Dust blanched- even though, being an already white skeleton that was hard for him to do- and backed away, hands raised in the universal surrender gesture. “No  **funk** ing way,” he exclaimed. “Go use the chicken clones again or something! Use your own SOUL again,  **dang** it!” Blue rolled his eyes. “Dust, you know I can’t do that. And anyways,” he added, a slightly sadistic gleam in his eyelights, “We could just use yours. It wouldn’t hurt- well, not for me, anyways.”

Nightmare gave his longtime friend a side glance, and he deflated slightly, pouting at Nightmare for a second (and causing him to blush violet in the process) before sighing. “Fine, I’ll go ask him if he has any more Kevin clones.”

Blue got up after a moment, and before he left, he turned back towards the pair of lilac and white eyelights staring at him. “Should I tell him it’s cult business?” the short skeleton inquired.

“I mean, he’s an honorary member, so technically he’s obligated to do so,” Nightmare replied, and Blue nodded and turned back to leave. “Now go and-”

Dust, seeing a beautiful opportunity to interrupt with a meme swiftly did so. “Look at all those chickens.” Nightmare glared at him, stifling a laugh. T- that was  _ actually  _ a good one, he hated to admit.

Blue’s laughter resounded through the corridor, and he didn’t stop until he reached the staircase.

Dream narrowed his eyes, tentatively sliding off half of his headphones, before heaving a sigh of relief.  _ Finally _ , they were done. He hummed in thought, trying to figure out how to get them to  _ stop _ assaulting his ears every week, but came to no conclusions.

Except one really, really strange one that he had had a while ago, and seemed to be his only hope as of now. After a moment, he opened an incognito tab on his laptop, and started searching.

Hopefully this would work.

Nightmare and Dust had changed, and Dust was sat on top of the couch- literally on top of the couch like the heathen he was- and Nightmare was on the floor, rolling up the tarp, when his phone buzzed. Checking it, it was a text from Cross- another meme. Oh, right, he was moving here- though thankfully not into his already packed apartment- he and Horror shared a room, and even though he owned a bigger apartment than normal- one with two bedrooms and bathrooms- Killer and Dust never used theirs for their…  _ activities. _ He wasn’t sure he could stand  _ another _ skeleton.

Cross actually was getting his own apartment, and Nightmare was secretly hoping he could manage to get Horror in there. He really wanted his room back to himself, and the cook  _ snored _ . Nightmare turned to Dust, lifting the tarp easily. “So, you knew Cross was moving here, right?”

Dust immediately brightened. “Yeah! I’m wondering if he’ll help us with the summonings…?” he mused. Nightmare left to go put the tarp in a closet. Yeah, looked like most everyone was as hyped as he and Blue were.

Blue had been really hyped for Cross’s arrival. He had literally squealed- and honestly, Nightmare was... a  _ bit _ jealous. He couldn’t help but wonder if Blue would have reacted like that if he had been the one moving… He sighed. Nah, Blue cared about him, and at the very least as a  _ friend _ . One time he and Dream had almost had to move, and the day after he had told the normally-bubbly skeleton, he had found Blue crying in a bathroom stall. He could remember it like it was yesterday-

_ He had been crying, he was told, for the past 15 minutes. Nightmare told him that he was  _ trying _ \- he and Dream had been trying their hardest to stay here. Blue perked up slightly, and for the first time in a while, he genuinely smiled.  _

_ He was… really cute when he looked like that. _

-because it was the moment he realized how he felt for the short idiot. They had been inseparable, and they still were. Nightmare sighed. He was getting off-topic. He was about to leave when his phone buzzed again. 

_ ‘He said he won’t do it :(‘ _

Well, that sucked. ‘ _ That’s fine. _ ’ He texted back, sighing slightly, annoyed as he re-entered the living room- and of course, there was paint everywhere. Stars, he’d probably have to clean it all up, then.

Nightmare stared at the smatterings of paint and… sharpnel on the floor? Why was there sharpnel on his floor? He could literally feel his eyesocket twitch in annoyance. Regardless, Nightmare had gotten an idea. He could just leave it there. Dust  _ would _ probably walk into it- he deserved it, anyways.

…Screw it, he was going to go visit Cross.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well. That was... interesting. Fresh filtering stuff when he's not present..? Hmm....  
> Thanks for putting up with my writing this time around- it's not the best editing I've done.


	4. ...And They Were Roomates!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh my God, they were roommates.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I SWEAR I HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN THIS FIC!
> 
> It's just that this fic is rather heavily based off of IRL shenanigans, and... the virus interfered with that.  
> I just got inspiration for it again, but I'm sorry this is a shorter chapter.  
> I'm currently trying to make a backlog so this fic doesn't update once every fifty-two centuries.
> 
> Hopefully you enjoy this!

Cross huffed, placing the last box down in his new apartment. He was  _ really _ glad all of that moving was over.

And then he groaned when he realized he had to actually  _ unpack _ all of the boxes.

And again when he realized that he had nowhere to sleep.

...well, maybe he could ask Error if he could crash at his place…

Yeah.

That would work.

He pulled out his phone, found Error’s contact, (which totally wasn't ‘Glitchy Manbaby’, haha, why in the world would it be that?) and pressed the call button.

The phone rang for a bit, before a glitchy voice answered. “Hello?”

“Uh, hey, Error- I just realized that I have literally nowhere to sleep tonight, so I was wondering…”

“Eh, sure, I've got a spare bed.”

Cross grinned. “In case you break the fir-”

“ _ No! _ ” came Error's glitched scream, and Cross chuckled. “Alright, see ‘ya later.”

The call ended.

Cross sighed, before pocketing his phone and walking out of his apartment.

It was weird, thinking of it like that, when before it had just been someone else’s. Ink had offered to lower the price, and it was…

It was nice to be away from  _ him _ .

Soon enough, he reached Error's apartment, and knocked on the door. After a moment or two, the door opened to a scarily white apartment. “What do yo- oh, that was faster than I expected,” Error said, stepping away from the door and letting him into the apartment.

Cross walked in, and was surprised by the sheer… lack of furniture.

And color, but that was less a surprise, seeing as Ink complained about it constantly.

“How do you live with… just this much?” He asked, awed.

“I’m a minimalist,” Error deadpanned.

“Well, yeah, I knew that, but-”

Error leaned forward and whispered to him, “The secret to life is stolen food and Undernovela.”

Cross nodded knowingly. “That makes sense.”

“So, do you need food too, or just a place to sleep?”

“...do you have any cho-”

Error magically procured a bar of chocolate from who  _ knows _ where, and Cross scrambled to grab it. “I could kiss you right now,” Cross murmured, tearing open the wrapper and taking a bite, and then moaning with pure, chocolatey bliss. 

He completely missed the blue blush that spread across the other's face.

Cross finished the chocolate in mere moments, though Error was rather unimpressed. He could do it faster- and he didn't have to waste time on the wrapper either.

The benefits of being a magical skeleton were as such.

“So, where's the bed?” Cross asked, and Error pointed to the bedroom. “It's in there.”

Cross did a double take. “If I'm correct, and the layouts of our apartments are the same, that's…  _ your _ bedroom.”

“Don't need it.”

“Wait, you sleep on the _ floor? _ ”

Error scoffed. “Of course I don't sleep on the floor. I have _dignity_ , you know.”

“Then where…?”

Error pointed to a mattress in the corner of the room they were standing in, which Cross hadn't noticed, because it blended in with the white of the rest of the room. “Oh,” Cross said, feeling rather oblivious.

“Now shoo.”

Cross shooed.

Error groaned. He didn't think Cross realized what he had said, that dork. Oh well.

It didn't matter anyways.

Meanwhile, Dream consulted his Shrine of Ships™. “So… who could I put with Error..? I mean, he and Cross are pretty good friends, but… not  _ really _ OTP material… unless… no, it wouldn’t work… well, maybe if- hmmm.”

He sighed, stepping out of the closet the shrine was in (if someone was watching, they’d probably make a ‘coming out of the closet’ joke) and closed the doors, instead turning to the project he had been working on, a smile slowly spreading across his face.

This was going to be fun.

He was, after all, a prank war veteran.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uwu
> 
> Dream, what are you up to? :eyes:  
> (Dream, casually bashing all Crerror shippers:)


	5. We’re Going On a Trip (And Yes, It’s Mandatory.)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ink is annoying (again), but this time it’s over text.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We went on a school trip to go to some competitions and I KNEW I was putting something similar into here!

Ink giggled (and if you know Ink, you know this is never a good thing) as he looked at the text he was about to send, hereby alerting all his friends (well,  _ he _ considered them friends, at least) to the group chat he had just created.

This was going to be fun.

Ink: heeeello!

He waited a few moments, before gray dots appeared at the bottom of the screen.

Dream: Ink, it's 4 in the morning.

Ink: no!!!

Dream: Yes, it is.

Ink: so why are you awake

Dream: Whatever you have to say can wait until it’s actually a reasonable time to be awake.

Dream: Your text.

Ink: fine >:(((((

Ink sighed, opening his laptop and preparing to binge anime until it was ‘an acceptable time to be awake’.

Error groaned, awakening to the sound of his phone buzzing incessantly. Who the hell was texting him at  _ 9 AM? _

Error: who the hell is this

Ink: a lot of people!

Error: why am I in here

Ink: because it’s important!!!

Error: fine

Blue: Why is there a huge group chat?

Ink: you’ll see!!! :DDD

Oh stars, Ink was using copious amounts of emojis. That never meant anything good.

Nightmare: what’s hapening

Blue: *happening

Dream: I think you meant happening?

Nightmare: s t o p

Blue: no

Cross: Nani? what’s going on?

Nightmare: idk man

Blue: ink made a group chat and we’re waiting for him to explain why

Ink: ohhhh yeah I should do that

Ink: just wanted to ask if anyone’s up for a road trip of sorts

Dream: When?

Cross: when

Blue: ^^^

Ink: uhhhhhhh fridayyyy?

Ink: maybe saturadayyyyy

Error: but WHY?

Nightmare: we have work tho?

Dream: He’s correct.

Blue: *laughs in college*

Ink: you won't have an apartment if you keep this up

Cross: isn't that a little harsh???

Ink: no

Cross: o- okay

Error: *cackles im not hà ving stude nt debt*

Blue: touché

Dream: Blue, the fact that you're in college doesn't mean you don't have a job.

Blue: oh yeah

Blue: but it's Friday!!!!

Blue: I don't work on Fridays!!!!!!

Ink: who’s coming?

Blue: meeee

Dream: I guess I will.

Cross: i need my apartment so fine

Error: im n ot gong 

Nightmare: error did you remove autocorrct again

Error: mAyb é

Ink: okay so far I'm going to evict glitchy and noots

Nightmare: WAIT N O

Blue: hehe, I'm using that nickname

Nightmare: don't call me noots

Dream: Oh no.

Cross: so noots 

Nightmare: no.

Ink: hello???

Ink: im evicting people over here

Blue: well I'm safe so idc

Ink: you won't be with that attitude

Nightmare: uhhhh can killer n dust come

Nightmare: they're being annoyjrjhfidod djjrk

Dream: They just took his phone, didn't they?

Cross: probably

Ink: yes sure fine

Error: still not going

Ink: y

Error: it sounds stupid

Blue: pleeeease

Error: no

Ink: dewit

Nightmare: I HAVE GOTTEN MY PHONE BACK

Blue: wooo

Nightmare: also do it

Error: n o

Cross: dude if we both get kicked out I won't have anywhere to stay

Error: fine

Ink: yayyyyy

Blue: wait but do we need our own vehicles

Blue: because I don't have a license yet

Blue: or a car for that matter

Ink: nahhhhh

Ink: I found the hugest RV ever

Ink: literally

Nightmare: how big is it?

Ink: mmmmm

Ink: it's got an upstairs and a downstairs

Blue: holy shit that's huge

Ink: yup!!!!

Error: r u using it to compensAte for somethiŃ g else

Ink: i can still evict you glitchy

Error: oK ök

Dream: Error, for all of our sakes, turn on autocorrect.

Error: fine

Nightmare: okay at least it won't be as cramped as hell

Cross: I left to start making coffee and uh

Cross: where did you find an RV that big

Ink: not telling

Blue: probably the black market

Ink: I can evict you too, blooper reel

Error: BLOOPER REEL

Nightmare: ahh, sweet vengeance

Blue: w h a t

Dream: Ink, are you letting your phone suggest nicknames for us?

Ink: maybeee

Cross: what's mine

Ink: moreo

Cross: thanks

Cross: i hate it

Ink: :)

Blue: aren't those the knock off oreos

Dream: Yes.

Nightmare: yup

Error: why must you be like this inkblot

Ink: awww, is that a petname

Error: no

Ink: are you sureeee

Dream: I mean, it certainly sounded like either an insult or a term of affection.

Blue: awww,,,, I ship it

Cross: I don't

Blue: are you jealousssss

Cross: no

Nightmare: i don't ship it either

Nightmare: clearly they're enemies

Error: see noots gets it

Nightmare: I HATE ALL OF YOU

Blue: :(

Nightmare: well not you

Blue: :)

Ink: awww

Ink: don't you just ship those two

Dream: No.

Ink: dreammmm come onnnn

Error: I can't believe I'm saying this

Error: but ink is right

Error: they're very gay

Nightmare: lies

Cross: guys chill

Ink: never

Dream: I don’t believe they will.

Ink: okay byeee

Blue: see ya!

Dream: Goodbye.

Error: good riddance

Nightmare: sayonara

Cross: I got my coffee!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, don’t you just love a guy finally getting his coffee? Heartwarming...


	6. Road Work Ahead? (Driving's A Pain pt. 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part 1 of the Mandatory Road Trip
> 
> Ink is actually productive for once! feat. more group chat shenanigans (and a hint of gay pining)!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *lenny face*

Okay!

The RV was ready.

_ Now _ it was time to go pester people in the group chat.

Ink: hewwo

Error: hello please go dust yourself

Blue: that’s not very nice, Error.

Ink: nah its fine

Ink: i have a feather duster

Error: that’s not what I meant

Blue: :0

Nightmare: plot tiwst 

Blue: *twist

Nightmare: I hate you.

Dream: When are we going…?

Blue: :’(

Ink: now

Blue: o shi t

Nightmare: time to go dump water on Dust and Killz then

Error: they deserve it

Cross: im awaek 

Error: go get coffee

Cross: y ea okey

Blue: ...wow

Blue: is that what caffeine does to you

Dream: Yes.

Blue: o

Error: caffeine is my salvation

Nightmare: honestly errors right

Blue: coffee is blehhhhhhhh :(

Ink: use shampoo!

Blue: no

Ink: you know it tastes good

Blue: yea but I’m not addicting myself to it

Ink: join me and we will rule

Nightmare: don’t go into the light blue

Ink: go into the light

Nightmare: horror has cookies

Blue: yeahh horror has really good cookies

Blue: sorry Ink

Ink: :(

Ink: ill get u eventually

Dream: Okay, Ink, where's the RV?

Ink: uhhhhh

Ink: outside the building?????????

Dream: The front or back of the building?

Ink: idk m8

Error: just look up you dolt

Ink: oh yeaaaaaaaa

Ink: big bra in

Ink glanced up, and saw Dream looking around, expression confused. He cupped his hands around his mouth and smirked, before yelling, “Oi, Dreamboat!”

Dream turned around and waved at him, before pulling his luggage along behind him. “Ink, you neglected to mention how many days we're going. So I brought a lot of clothes.”

Ink blinked. “Oh yeah. I think it's just for this weekend.”

“Good. I've got work on Monday.”

“Cool, but does it look like I actually care?” Ink said, before turning his attention back to the group chat.

Ink: dreamboat is here

Ink: who’s the next one

Nightmare: uh.

Nightmare: look up

Ink was then barreled into by a force of unstoppable, inhuman excitement. “Oh, hiya, blooper reel.”

Blue groaned, stepping away from the god of all things chaotic and deranged. “I hate you.”

“Awww, that's what they all say!”

Dream just looked between the two of them. “Okay, so that's two of us here.”

Blue: wait how did you know I was there noot

Ink: noot in boots

Blue: y e s

Nightmare: oh my STARS

_ ( _ **_Ink_ ** _ changed  _ **_Nightmare_ ** _ 's nickname to “Noot”) _

Noot: WHY

Blue: uwu

Blue: that’s cute

_ ( _ **_Ink_ ** _ changed  _ **_Blue_ ** _ ’s nickname to “Blooper Reel”) _

Blooper Reel: nvm I don't like this

“Yeah, that's pretty understandable,” someone said, and the three skeletons standing by the RV reacted with varying degrees of surprise.

“Oh, hey Noot Noot,” Ink said.

“Shut up.” Nightmare replied.

“No.”

_ ( _ **_Ink_ ** _ changed  _ **_Error_ ** _ ’s nickname to “Glitchy Child”) _

Blooper Reel: hey Ink can you make me admin?

Glitchy Child: but why

Ink: sure

_ ( _ **_Blooper Reel_ ** _ was promoted to admin.) _

Cross: wot

Glitchy Child: NOW THERE'S TWO OF THEM

_ ( _ **_Blooper Reel_ ** _ changed their nickname to “Bloop”) _

Glitchy Child: blue have mercy on us

Bloop: no

Noot: why do you hate all of us

Noot: why have you betrayed me

Bloop: the shampoo was too tempting

Nightmare gasped aloud, and Blue snickered as Ink began to cheer. The vessel of chaos then wrapped his arms around Blue and lifted him off of the ground, making him squeak indignantly. “Put me  _ down,  _ Ink-”

“Never!”

Blue huffed, before doing one last thing on his phone.

_ ( _ **_Bloop_ ** _ demoted  _ **_Ink_ ** _.) _

Ink gasped in shock. “You've betrayed me!”

“Aha, it was but a masterfully crafted facade! You, fiend, have fallen before my trickery and deception!”

Glitchy Child: nice

Cross: I have my coffee

Noot: the reign of terror is finally over!!

Glitchy Child: blue please save me

Ink: I have been betrayed

Bloop: uwu

_ ( _ **_Bloop_ ** _ changed  _ **_Glitchy Child_ ** _ ’s nickname to “Your Favorite Glitch”) _

Your Favorite Glitch: just change it BACK TO NLRMAL

Bloop: fine

_ ( _ **_Bloop_ ** _ changed  _ **_Your Favorite Glitch_ ** _ ’s nickname to “Error”) _

Error: FINALLY

Noot: please change mine back

Noot: save me

Bloop: no

Cross: wow don't bully your bf blue

Blue choked, his face erupting with a vibrant cyan blush, and his hands began to tremble.

~~_ He- Was he really that damn obvious? _ ~~

Bloop: w h a T

Cross: you're gayyyy

Noot: no he's bi

Error: ehhhh same dividend

Error: oh f ck autocorrect

Bloop: error did you just say a naughty no no word

Error: maybe

Bloop: on MY christian minecraft server?

Cross: uh oh

_ ( _ **_Bloop_ ** _ kicked  _ **_Error_ ** _ from the chat) _

Bloop: that's what you get

Cross: you're as bad as ink

Ink: did someone say my name?

Cross: please leave all of us alone

Bloop: please

Noot: blue can you kick Ink

Ink: no don't

Bloop: no :(

Bloop: he made the chat and therefore is unkickable

“Can someone  _ please _ let me back into the chat?” Error hissed, for he too had arrived. “Hewwo!” Ink said, and Error glared at him.

“Only if you don't say any ‘naughty no-no words’,” Nightmare said, earning a glare from Blue, his cheekbones still tinted cyan.

_ ( _ **_Bloop_ ** _ invited  _ **_Error_ ** _ to the chat) _

Bloop: there you manbaby

Error made a sound of indignation.

Cross: he's not a manbaby

Error: finally one of you gets it

Blue: no

Cross: he's a manchild

Error: NO I'M NOT

Nightmare: that's something a manchild would say

Bloop: uwu

“Hello, manchild and co.”

“Heya, Cross.” Nightmare said.

_ “I am not a manchild!”  _ Error shrieked.

“Ooh, that's debatable,” Blue hummed, and Error scowled at him. Blue smiled at the enraged glitch like this was completely normal. In retrospect, that was probably because it _was_ normal.

Dream: Can we stop harassing Error?

Bloop: :(

Bloop: fine

Nightmare: k

Cross: okey

“Wait, why are we texting if we're all standing next to each other?” Ink asked.

“Holy shit, we're idiots.” Nightmare said, shocked.

“That was obvious,” Error scoffed, and Cross made a sort of strangled sound.

“Cross, are you okay?” Dream asked, glancing at him.

“N- no, I'm not, my entire worldview has been shattered, and you have the audacity to ask if I'm okay…” Cross trailed off, sentence ending in a mere whisper.

Blue was just standing there, expression mortified. 

Nightmare tapped him on the shoulder.

No response.

And then Blue slammed his head into the side of the RV (causing a few people to yelp in surprise) and groaned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the 'noot in boots' bit was inspired by discord shenanigans!
> 
> Dreamboat has a job? :eyes: wonder what that could be?  
> It's not like I already know.  
> At all.
> 
> (also I may have projected onto Blue a little bit)


	7. I Sure Hope It Does! (Driving's a Pain, part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alternatively titled "The Game To End All (Friend)ships"
> 
> Just a bunch of chaos, as expected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uhhhh I was gonna post this yesterday but I forgot but it's here now!!!!

A few minutes (read: 30 minutes) passed, and everyone was there.

Killer and Dust were  _ really _ late, which pissed Ink off  _ immensely _ , so they weren't allowed into the group chat. (Ink had threatened everyone with eviction if they did so, and nobody dared to challenge him.)

“Ookay. I’m driving.” Ink said, swinging the keys around his pointer finger, and was immediately met with protest.

“Wh- no you’re not! Let Dream drive!”

Dream sighed. “Why do you guys always nominate me to do things?”

Blue shrugged. “You’re least likely to kill us doing so?”

Nightmare grinned. “Actually, it turns out that Daydream over here failed his driving test! Four times! In a row!”

Dream flushed, embarrassed, as Ink gasped. “Y- you failed it more!”

“ _ You _ gave up!”

“I’m better at driving than Dream!” Ink exclaimed, happily.

“You guys can  _ afford _ to take a driving test?!?” Blue said, shocked.

It had been an hour.

An  _ hour. _

Most people were asleep, because Ink had forced them to wake up at an  _ ungodly _ hour in the morning.

Some people  _ said _ they were going to sleep, but actually didn't, because they either were too awake or too unwilling to sleep by the time said hour had passed.

Blue was the former- and he wished he wasn't. Nightmare was falling asleep (and they were sitting next to each other, of course) and he had literally nothing to do!

Well, except read fanfic, but he was saving that for later.

He was still lost in thought when Nightmare started using his shoulder as a pillow.

Oh.

_ Oh. _

His face erupted in a brilliant cyan blush. Now was- was not the best time for this, holy  _ shit. _ He was going to die from sheer gayness right here, right now and he just- 

Dream was scouting for ships.

Hmmm… Blue seemed to be awfully close to his brother, but if he had any feelings for him he would have confessed already. Right?

...wait. Was that a blush?

Was it really that warm over there?

_ Was it hot in the RV or was it just  _ ~~_ Nightmare _ ~~ _ him? _

Blue’s internal gay panic continued, unkbenownst to the shipper nearby.

  
  


“You can't just  _ do that,  _ that's not how poker  _ works!” _

“...we’re playing poker?”

“ _ Yes _ , stars dammit!”

“Ohh,  _ that’s _ why there are chips...”

_ “Oh my stars, I’m surrounded by idiots.” _

  
  


Maybe they  _ shouldn’t _ have let Ink drive. Cross was starting to think that letting Dream drive (illegally) might have turned out better in the long run.

Holy shit, who let Blue have an energy drink?

“Okayyyy, we're stopping! Who wants food?”

“Why can't we just get it  _ ourselves?”  _ Error whined, like the manbaby he was.

“Because half of you,” Ink glared rather pointedly at Error. “Would run away at the first given opportunity.”

“Eh, I tried.”

Blue hummed. “Can I have a bagel?”

“Sure.”

He nudged Nightmare. “Hey, do you want any food?”

“Mmmph… the souls of the innocent…?” Nightmare murmured, half-asleep.

“Two bagels!”

Ink really shouldn't have been allowed to drive.

“Holy  _ shit, slow down!” _

“What? It's not like the cops are going to-”

There was the distinct sound of police sirens.

“You just  _ had _ to say it, didn't you?”

  
  


“Road work ahead?” Ink muttered, seeing a bright orange sign. “Yeah, I sure hope it does.”

  
  


“How much money do you have?”

“69 cents.”

“Oh, well, you know what that means-“

_ “I don’t have enough money for chicken nuggets!”  _ Cross wailed.

  
  


Blue sighed, finishing another fic. “Hi, thanks for checking in, I’m still a piece of garbage~” He murmured humorlessly, before chuckling dryly a few moments later. “Oh, how I wish I wasn’t…” He was distracted from his melancholy by Nightmare shifting and reminding him of the steadfast weight in his shoulder, and thus he descended back into a blushing panic again.

  
  


Another hour passed… or was it two? Three?

In this realm, time had no meaning- it had no sway over what was happening, the events that were taking place.

It was almost as if the RV existed in its very own dimension… but that was impossible. Right?

  
  


“Ink, is there  _ anything _ to do?” Blue whined, completely and utterly bored. “Nightmare’s asleep and he’s the only interesting person here.”

“Use your phone,” Ink shot back.

“It’s dead.”

“Oh. Uhh,” Ink glanced back at Blue from where he was driving. “I think there’s a deck of Uno cards somewhere.”

Blue grinned. “Nice. Time to destroy some friendships.”

The four skeletons glanced at each other as one of their number dealt the cards. “Who’s going first?” Cross asked, and Error shrugged. “You, I guess.”

Blue blinked at the pair, and looked at his cards before grinning, “Oh, I’ve got some good cards.”

Dream sighed. “That's what they all say.”

“Ooh, ominous.”

Dream flipped the card on top of the deck over, and the game began.

“Uno!” Blue said, and everyone exchanged glances. Dream went, then Cross, and on his turn, Error slapped a card onto the pile.  _ “Uno reverse card!” _

Blue blinked at him. “Well, that was rude.”

Cross groaned. “Error, I don't have any more reds!”

“Oof.”

Dream glanced at his deck, and then at Cross. “You know, I was hoping you'd play a card,” he admitted, as he drew a card from the pile.

Blue looked down at his deck and pouted, before not even a second later slamming a card onto the pile.  _ “I am inevitable!”  _ he screeched, and everyone groaned.

“...mmm… what's happening?” someone muttered, before yawning.

“Blue won a game of Uno.”

Another yawn, before Nightmare jolted upright, now well and truly awake. “You guys are playing Uno without me?!”

“Yeah. We actually started because you were asleep.” Cross replied.

“Oh. Can I play?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

Blue nodded. “I actually think we have enough cards for 10 people.”

Nightmare grinned. “Sweet.” He sat down next to Blue, who was shuffling the cards.

After the cards were dealt, they all stared each other down, before the top card was flipped over.

A Wild Draw 4.

“Oh shit.” Nightmare said, as Dream drew 4 cards. “So does Blue pick the colour?”

Blue shrugged. “I pick blue.”

“Of course you do.”

Dream smirked. “Uno.”

_ “Change the colour, change the colour-”  _ Cross exclaimed, panicked, and his words sent everyone into a frenzy.

The color was changed from yellow to green.

Dream placed down a wild card, and Cross looked like he was about to throw something.

Error actually did- one of the cards from his hand, specifically, and somehow it managed to smack Killer right in the forehead.

“Hey!” he exclaimed, looking up. “Who threw that?”

Everyone pointed to Error.

Killer stood up, grabbed Dust by the arm (who whined about wanting to play Animal Crossing on his Switch) and dragged him over to the group. “Time for revenge.”

Killer ended up getting into a near-fistfight with Error, and Dust  _ may _ have egged them on.

Maybe.

You can't prove anything.

  
  


Dream was totally not writing fanfiction. Totally. Blue, on the other hand, was totally reading fanfiction.

“There are two different types of people,” Ink said, seemingly in response to the last paragraph. “Oh, no, that was totally in response to that last thing you said.”

I'm sorry, what? Did you just… talk to  _ me _ ?

“Uh, yeah, I did. What gives?”

…I didn't even know you were authorized to break the fourth wall. Give me a moment to check my notes.

“Listen, no wall, fourth or otherwise, has  _ ever _ stopped me.”

That  _ is _ true, but I'm afraid our conversation will have to end here, because you shouldn't be breaking the fourth wall… or, at least, not  _ this _ chapter.

“Awww, see you later then!”

Bye!

…ah, okay, he shouldn't be able to hear me n-

“Nope.” Ink said, rather cheerfully for someone who is making my job  _ a lot more difficult _ than it should be- but I’m an unbiased narrator who totally isn’t dying for Night and Blue to get together.

“You ship it too! Yes! Our ranks are growing!”

You know what? I'm just going to end the chapter now while I sort out this technical issue.

[Beep.]

**[Please stand by.]**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was originally two chapters, but I combined them! :D  
> also if there's spelling/ continuity errors that's because I only checked it like once so :P  
> Just scream at me and I'll go fix it!


	8. Tropes Galore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well, it had to happen eventually.  
> (Alternatively named: Dream Is Enlightened)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a combination of three chapters.  
> We're wrapping up this arc, kids!

“ _ Guys, we’re here!” _ Ink exclaimed, and everyone looked up with varying levels of interest. Blue looked like he wanted to die, Nightmare was still a little groggy but generally relieved, Error looked like he was considering doing arson (or committing a series of homicides- he wasn't sure yet.), Cross wasn’t even  _ conscious,  _ and Killer and Dust were… wait- where are they- oh, they’ve passed out in a corner. That’s fair. Dream looked like he just wanted to get out of the RV to hell and go to sleep

“Ink. Just. Go get the room keys. _ Please _ .” Blue murmured, suppressing a yawn. Ink pouted. “Fine.”

Ink flounced off into the hotel, probably to annoy some random bell clerk. The poor person. They probably wanted to be a victim of Error’s murderous rampage.

Well… it had been a few minutes.

Five, to be exact.

Predictably, everything had gone to hell.

And- I don't mean  _ literally,  _ (that'd go in a different story arc) but it might as well have. It was anybody's worst nightmare.

Dream wanted to die.

Cross was… well, still unconscious, which was good for his sanity, but not his physical wellbeing, as he was suceptible to attacks like this.

Blue was literally going to fall asleep in his seat as Nightmare attempted to keep him conscious.

But where the problem lay was with Error, Dust, and Killer- the latter two of which had waken up.

Oh, those three… always up to _ something. _

...well, it was actually more of Dust and Killer being assholes and Error not stopping them, but that's not relevant.

...wait, actually, that was rather relevant, let me just-

“Oh Dust~” Killer sang, twirling a broom he had found like it was a baton. “Where are yoooou?”

Dust was hiding in a cupboard nearby, quivering in fear- if he had to be a meme, he’d be the ‘I'm in danger’ one.

Error smirked. “He's in a cupboard.” the glitchy skeleton sang rather unhelpfully. Dust nearly broke out into sobs, realizing that his position was compromised.

Killer grinned, opening up a few nearby, but alas, Dust was nowhere to be found.

“Oh Dust bunny~”

“I told you to stop calling me that!” came a disgruntled yell, muffled by cupboard. “ _ Wait I never said anything!”  _ he cried out, realizing his mistake.

Killer paused, listening.

Dust screamed frantically, trying to cover up his grave mistake.

Killer’s grin grew as he tracked Dust using the other's terrified yelling.

“I’m back!” Ink exclaimed.

Blue shot awake for comedic value, realizing something. “ _ Wait I can't afford to stay in a hotel _ .”

Nightmare patted him on the head. “Oof.”

“ _ Ink how am I going to-” _

Ink grinned at Blue. “I paid for the rooms!”

Blue blinked. “...how can you afford that many??” He said, and you could practically hear the unnecessary punctuation. Then, as an afterthought, he added, “I wish I had money…”

Ink tossed a green paper at Blue, who caught it.

“This is a piece of paper that says 20 dollars.”

“Yep!”

“...but  _ why. _ ”

“Why not?”

“Ink this isn't worth any money. This is a piece of paper.”

“Soooo? Money  _ is _ paper.”

“It's- ugh, nevermind.”

Nightmare snickered at Blue’s plight.

Dust ran down the stairs at an unreasonable speed, screaming. Killer ran down right behind him.

A few moments later, Error walked down as well, but at a normal walking speed like a  _ reasonable _ person.

“Error wh-”

“Can I have my room key now?”

Ink had been planning for this very moment.

This… this was what his existence thus far was building up to.

Right here, right now.

And all he had to do… was say the words.

Everything would fall into place like pieces in a puzzle.

He just needed… to speak.

“Ookay, so here are the rooming assignment-”

_ “We have rooming assignments?!”  _ Error shrieked incredulously.  _ “I refuse-” _

“You're with Cross.”

“...oh.”

Ink smirked at him, before turning to  his next ship Blue and Nightmare, the former of which was on the verge of falling asleep. “You two are together, obviously,” Ink added a wink and was very pleased to see Nightmare flush. “Killer and Dust get a room, and Dream and I share a room! There will be no debating on this because I think you’ll find these rooming arrangements to be quite…  _ satisfactory. _

“So! Get a room!” Ink exclaimed, tossing the room keys out of an open window.

In mere seconds, everything was plunged into pure unbridled pandemonium.

Dust did the logical thing, which was to defenestrate himself.

Error opened another window and defenestrated himself as well.

Nightmare ran out of the door like an intelligent person would.

Dream just sat there, unmoving, unblinking, like he was made of stone. He wished he was.

Killer ran upstairs and defenestrated himself out of one of the windows up  _ there. _

Blue just went back to sleep.

A short while later, they were in their respective rooms.

“Who are we going to focus on?” you ask?

Well… all of them.

Let's  ~~ stalk ~~ watch Dream and Ink first, shall we?

“Ink, why exactly did you pick me to room with?”

“Because you're somewhat responsible and I am a being of pure, unbridled chaos?”

“...surprisingly, that makes sense.”

Ink flopped onto the bed. “Also because I need all of my ships to get together.”

“Wait. You’re doing this… for the sake of your ships?” Well, now Dream was genuinely interested. He had always enjoyed shipping…

Ink snorted derisively. “Yeah, obviously. Why else would I be doing this? It’s pretty stupid.”

Dream blinked. “But… what  _ are _ your ships?”

“Were you not paying attention? We’ve got Nightberr-”

_ “You’ve already given them shipnames?!” _

“Yes, now shhh. Nightberry and Crerror.”

“...you ship my  _ brother _ with-”

“With Blue, yeah.”

“But why?”

Ink snorted again. “You’re such a  _ dolt _ . Haven’t you noticed?” Ink leaned uncomfortably close to Dream. “The way they look at each other? How they’re constantly together… it’s like they’re already going out,” he whispered, and Dream frowned, thinking. “Do you not see the blushing? They were practically  _ made  _ for each other, Dream.”

…

…

…

...Something clicked.

Dream had the stark feeling that it had been something blatantly obvious, something that he should have realized a long time ago. But that was in the past now.

“Oh my stars,” he whispered back. “You’re right.”

Dream paused, and Ink grinned. “Of course I am!”

“...but wouldn’t Blue have confessed already?”

Ink hummed in thought. “Well. he might be a bit anxious about doing so. You know, the possibility of rejection and all. He doesn’t tend to do things he can’t succeed at. Mostly because doing them… well. You know.”

Dream sighed. “Well, it’s worth a shot.”

“ _ Oh my god you’re both such dorks! _ ” Error snickered. “Y- you don’t-”

Cross was now awake as well and holding back laughter.

“Shut it!” Nightmare shot back. “Just-”

“No, I won't shut it because there- there's _ ice all over the floor-” _

“Listen, the ice is free and we can't afford water so-”

Cross was practically choking on his own laughter.  _ “Nightmare we are skeletons we don't need to drink water-” _

“ _ Screw off, you defective Oreo! _ ”

“Never!”

“Shut  _ up _ ,” Blue whined in the background, burying his face into a pillow. “I wanna  _ sleep _ .”

“ _ Well ‘ya should have slept in the RV!”  _ Error snickered, and Blue would have screamed, but he was not about to get kicked out of  another this hotel. “ _ Funk off! _ ”

Killer was pelting Dust with ice cubes- the kind you can get at those vending stalls in hotels (and that was, in fact, where Nightmare had gotten them from). Dust was throwing them back. They were both very wet and cold.

And chaotic, but who isn’t?

“Dream, you’re so boringggg.” Ink whined. “We could just lock ‘em in a closet. And then they-” He snapped his phalanges and made finger-guns. “-could come out of the closet!”

“Ink.”

“What?”

“They’re already out of the closet.”

“Shut up and let me have this moment.”

“Fine.”

“Do you have a better idea? No? I didn’t think s-”

“We  _ could _ just make them do things together- that might naturally create a tension between them.”

“...that could work, actually.”

“Thank you, I tend to think these things through.”

“Dust, get back here~”

“No! Go away!”

“Aww, don’t be like that! You know you w-”

Dust threw an icecube at Killer.

“...you are dead to me.”

“Oh sh-”

“Nightmare why are you still talking I’m tired and it’s not helping me sleep,” Blue whined, his voice muffled by the pillow he was buried in. “Just hang up already, I wanna  _ sleep _ .”

“Blue. My honor is at stake.”

“Screw your honor, I need  _ sleep _ .”

“Sleep is an option.”

“It really isn’t.”

“I can’t hear you.”

“You’re pathetic.”

“Thanks for noticing.”

“...you know I didn’t mean that, right?”

“You didn’t?”

“Nope!”

“Oh sweet, one less reason to hate myself I guess.”

“Come join me in the ‘I hate myself’ club then.”

“Okay.”

The call had ended a while ago, Cross and Error deciding it would be better to leave that pair up to their own devices…

...though, they weren’t prepared for the sheer gayness of the next coming moments. But that wasn’t really their fault- they hadn’t realized it would happen, and thus, they were completely unprepared.

“Error, there's only one bed.”

“That’s fine, I’ll sleep on the-” Error paused, looking at the floor, which was covered in…. Well, nobody said that this was a particularly  _ good _ hotel. It was just  _ a  _ hotel. “-oh.”

“Yeah. So. We have to-” Cross coughed awkwardly, face dusted with a light lavender blush. “-share the bed.”

“Oh. Do I  _ have _ to sleep?”

“Yes? I think so.”

“O- oH.” Error said, voice glitching out a bit- it did that sometimes and it was perfectly normal and he was  _ sick _ of people asking if he was okay because he was  _ perfectly fine. _ ...okay, he might be just a  _ little _ touchy on that subject. Could you blame him?

“...we  _ could _ take turns…”

“nAh, iT’S fiNE.”

“Okay,” Cross mumbled, and the die of fate were cast by their sadistic player.

“Nightmare go to  _ sleep _ .”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Tumblr.”

Blue picked up Nightmare’s phone and threw it across the room. It hit the wall and fell into a pile of ice. “No more tumbly wumbly for you.”

Nightmare snickered. “You called it ‘tumbly wumbly’.”

“I’m  _ tired _ so  _ shut up _ before I  _ tear you to shreds. _ ”

Nightmare blinked before holding his hands up in surrender. “Okay, okay,” he said, flicking the light on the nightstand beside him off. Blue smiled at him innocently. “Thank you~!”

Nightmare just turned away from him and tried to sleep.

“Dream, do you have a Twitter?”

“No.”

“Instagram?”

“No.”   
“Then what  _ do _ you have?”

“Tumblr.”

Ink gasped. “You have  _ Tumblr?! _ ”

“Ye-”

“ _ Givemeyoururlrightnow _ .”

Dream huffed in amusement, passing Ink his phone. “Have fun.”

Ink giggled manically, proceeding to follow Dream and do a few other less-legal things on there.

Dust was on the floor.

Killer was also on the floor.

Both of them were asleep (read: unconscious).

...looks like they didn’t need a bed after all.

In their defense, they were tired.

In their defense, they weren’t aware of what they were doing.

Of course, that doesn’t change what happened.

Cross and Error cuddled (not clickbait) (they tried to stop me from writing).

Error blinked awake, before realizing something was… off.

Something was so  _ different. _ What was it?

He closed his eyes again, pulling Cro-

…Cross?

He opened up his eyesockets, glitching sporadically- through what little he could see and feel he realized that he was  _ touching Cross _ and that was  _ disgusting  _ and he was  _ absolutely appalled- _ he flinched away from Cross, letting go of him and retracting into himself. Cross let out a small whine, which Error might have considered to be cute if Cross hadn’t proceeded to steal all of the blankets- albeit unconsciously. Error pulled the sheets back towards himself, fully intending to keep them, but Cross let out such a pathetic whimper that he couldn’t bring himself to do anything further, and just gave up on the blankets. He didn’t need them anyways… 

The first thing he registered was the headache.

That was normal.

Didn’t mean he liked it.

He opened his eyes, blue eyelights darting around before finally settling on something to look at.

The person directly in front of him.

Nightmare was still asleep.

They were facing each other.

That was fine.

He found his eyelights drawn towards the other’s mouth.

Blue blinked.

What?

No.

Too early for gay thoughts.

He turned around to face the wall, lighting up a bright cyan blue colour.

It was  _ way  _ too early for gay thoughts.

...that didn’t stop him from thinking though.

Oh no, he was thinking a  _ lot. _

“Guys guess what,” Ink exclaimed, and Dream groaned. “Ink, don’t-”

“Dream has a  _ Tumblr. _ ”

Nightmare’s eyelights snapped to Ink like an autofire program targeting an enemy player. “Give me the url.  _ Now. _ ”

Ink whispered it in his non-existent ear, and Nightmare blinked. “I did not expect that…”

He blinked at his phone. “Wait. I already follow him.”

Dust barged into the RV. “ _ Guys help Killer is- _ ”

“Oh Dust Bunny~ where are you~?”

Dust screamed and defenestrated himself without any hesitation.

Killer snickered from off-screen.

Blue just slumped in his seat. “I’m  _ tired. _ ”

“Yeah, well maybe you should have slept.”

“ _ You were the damn reason I couldn’t sleep!” _ Blue said, slamming his head into the table- or he would have, if Nightmare hadn’t stopped him from doing so. “Don’t do that.”

Blue looked at him, expression utterly betrayed. “Nightmare, I thought we were friends.”

“We are friends!”

_ “Just friends?”  _ Ink whispered, and Dream snorted. Everyone looked at Dream for a moment. It was a very awkward moment.

“Yes, just friends, you dirty little shipper,” Nightmare retorted, and Ink rolled his eyelights. “Yeah, yeah, just make sure to invite me to your wedding~”

“Oh my god can we just drive already?”

“What about Dust and Kil-”

“Just ditch ‘em.”

They did not, in fact, ‘just ditch ‘em’, for better or for (probably) worse.

They were back on the road! It was absolutely horrendous!

Someone had bought candies.

Killer and Dust were wrestling (and flirting) over a few of them, Blue had passed out, Nightmare was saving them to summon a demon, Ink was demanding ‘tax’, Dream wasn’t doing much of anything, just typing on his laptop [What a mood. That’s what I’m doing right now. Shocker.], Cross was begging Error to  _ please just give him one piece _ and Error was ignoring him for...  _ personal _ reasons.

I guess he still isn’t over the cuddles.

Screams rang through the air.  _ “INK WE’RE ALL GOING TO DIE OH MY GOD-” _

“IT’S FINE! WE’RE GOING TO BE ALRIGHT!”

“ARE WE?!”

“MAYBE?”

“THAT DOESN’T HELP!”

The RV was swaying. This… was a terrible idea, in retrospect. They really shouldn’t have come on this ...oh wait, Ink had threatened them to. They had had no choice.

To make matters even worse, they were on a bridge. And it was windy. Very, very windy.

“INK JUST STOP THE RV!”

“WE CAN'T TURN BACK NOW! WE'RE ALREADY HALFWAY! AND ANYWAYS, IF WE DIED, THE FIC WOULD-”

“THIS ISN’T A FANFICTION, INK! AND EVEN IF IT WAS, YOU CAN STILL SEVERELY INJURE CHARACTERS! THAT REALLY ISN'T HELPFUL!”

Dust curled up into a ball in one of the back seats. “Haha, I'm in danger…”

“GUYS I THINK DUST FINALLY SNAPPED.” someone yelled.

“GOOD FOR HIM!” someone yelled back.

They made it across safely- after all, it's a bit too early to hospitalize someone, now isn't it? I mean, we're only… oh, what is it? 8 chapters in? Yeah, that's a bit too early to go to the ER, in my opinion.

Getting back on track- they were safe.

And what better to help stem their adrenaline rush than a ‘friendly’ game of Uno?

...there were a lot of better things.

Killer screamed in terror, scrambling away from the table as Error flipped it. “F*CK YOU!”

“No thanks, I've got Dust for tha-”

_ “SHUT UP!” _

Blue was… not in a very good mood? He was just a little grumpy.

Just a little.

And maybe the gay thoughts weren't helping much. Stupid- _ feelings. _

So yes, he was not okay.

And no, he would not talk about it.

To anyone.

...he was too terrified of rejection to ever do anything about it anyways.

Dream was _ trying. _ He was trying to keep himself together. It was very hard to do that when he kept thinking about things that were relatively stressful.

Like work. And fic updates.

...wasn't he supposed to train a newbie tomorrow…?

Hopefully they weren't that hard to teach… he shouldn't have much of a problem with that anyways- the newbies usually took care of the cats at first, and they were all really nice.

Who knows?

It may even be fun.

“HEY GUYS WE'RE BACK!” Cheers rose from the RV’s tired inhabitants. “Finally,” someone said, and everyone else mumbled assent.

The Ship Trip was over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh, just so you know I'm really really REALLY focused on a new AU (I think it's called hyperfixating?) and can't concentrate on anything else, so the next update may take a while.  
> Sorry 'bout that!


	9. Teamwork Makes Dream Get His Break At a More Reasonable Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We find out where Dream works.  
> And a few other people work.  
> A lot of people work here, actually.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :D  
> i wonder where he could POSSIBLY work  
> it's not like i'm the author and know this already  
> haha, funny joke my friend buddy chum pally pal chum buddy friend-
> 
> Anyways, have fun.

Dream sighed, walking into the cafe. “Who forgot to write the daily special on the chalkboard?” He asked, more curious than anything else- he wasn’t  _ mad,  _ how could he be mad when it wasn’t really much of a transgression than any other kind of simple error. Nonetheless. He had a curiosity that he wanted (or perhaps he needed) abated.

The few people in there turned towards Dream, some expressions confused, others concerned, but none guilty. He scanned the room, mentally doing a check of who was (or wasn’t) there. Okay… there was Light, Joy, an- oh, the new person-  _ oh wait, he was supposed to train them, wasn’t he? _ He cleared his throat. “Hi. I'm Dream.”

Eyelights nearly the same shade as his snapped towards him.

Dream groaned. “Oh my stars, don't tell me it's  _ another- _ ”

Light nodded. “Yep. He did. Ccino did.”

Dream sighed, pausing as a cat rubbed its face against his leg, and he reached down to pick it up, gently stroking its fur. “That's- whatever. It's fine.”

“Ccino- he calls us-” Joy tried to hold back a giggle, clearly finding whatever information he had amusing. “-the Dream team.”

Dream blinked. “It's… named after  _ me? _ ”

“Yep!”

Light shrugged. “You were the first one of us to start working here.  _ And  _ you’re our manager. A-”

Dream waved his hands, cutting the other off. “I get it, I get it!”

The newbie blinked. “Uh, hi, Dream. I’m Ray.”

Dream filed the name away in his memory. “Ray, welcome to the ‘Dream team’,” He said, making air quotes with his free hand. “So, today marks the first day of your training phase. You get to man the counter. I’ll show you how, and then you’ll do it on your own, okay?”   
Ray nodded. “Sure. By the way, you’re the one who was supposed to write-”

Dream groaned, interrupting Ray. “You’re right, I completely forgot! One moment.” He walked off and to the door, opening it before realizing that he had forgotten the chalk and walking over to the counter to search for it, before realizing that he should wear his apron and walking into the closet.

He then came out of the closet (haha, yes, how funny) wearing his apron and walked over to the counter, grabbed the chalk, and at last, finally walked outside.

Today would be a long day.

“Wait, so you’re telling me the ‘void’ button really  _ doesn’t  _ send your bill to the abyss?”

“...yes?’

Ray smirked. “Lilac owes me 10 bucks.” Dream blinked at him in confusion. “Do I even want to ask..?”

“We like conspiracy theories. Talk about ‘em a lot.”

“You and Cross would get along well.”

“Oh, cool. Who’s that?”

“Nevermind.”

Ray hummed. “So… one scone, one sweet iced tea, and one mango tea?” he repeated, looking up at the two teenagers, one of which was looking intently away from him and at the pastries, hands stuffed into the pockets of their oversized jacket. “Yup,” they replied, scanning the box for something. Or maybe they were just avoiding his eyelights.

...wait, were they...  _ nervous? _

He decided to ignore that tidbit of information… for now. “Uhh, can I have a name for that, then?” He held up a Sharpie, prepared to write.

“Lyn for the mango tea and scone, and Hearts for the iced tea,” the other kid- Hearts, he presumed, unless that was just a nickname?- replied, casting a sideways glance at his companion, who nodded, still refusing to look in Ray’s general vicinity. Ray found this incredibly amusing and decided to doodle a few hearts around their names as he wrote them on the cups. Just because.

And so what if he winked at ‘Lyn’ when they came over to pick up their order?

That was his business.

A few hours passed. Sun- one of the cats- had attempted to escape. Again. Ray had gone to pick him up (being the one nearest to him) and Sun had literally latched onto the skeleton, mewling desperately. In the end, Ray had to deal with the adorable little thing attached to him as he worked through his shift, to Dream’s bemusement, taking orders with the fuzzy feline crawling up and down him.

Meanwhile, another cat- he was horrible with the names of the newer ones, but he believed her name was Oasis?- brushed against his legs for the third time that minute, so he picked her up and began to pet her soft grey fur. “You look so young for your age, don’t you?” She was so cute. Anyways. He walked over to one of the cat towers and placed her on top, like the little fluffy queen she was. And then Bluebell decided to jump on top of his hand, and he groaned. “Bells, you can’t keep doing this to me,” he chastised, before Cookie ran over as well and tackled Bluebell, and the two of them began to play-fight.

Dream just watched. Cats were the absolute  _ best _ animals in the world. He turned around and walked back to the counter, making sure to wash his hands- he couldn’t afford health code violations, after all. After that, he went back to making drinks.

The cats did not approve of this, and thus begun to hatch a plan.

Ray yelped as he was, once again, encapsulated by cats clambering to get his attention. Even the more solitary ones (Dream was looking at Drip and Duxty- those two usually never even considered interacting with them like this) decided to join in.

It was so hilariously funny.

Sun had managed to get on top of his head and was hissing at anyone who dared get close to him, and Azule was hardly far behind, his tail wrapped loosely around Ray’s neck vertebrae. Drip was attempting to scale the skeleton, and Duxty was sitting on Ray’s feet, looking at the others with an air of amusement. Bluebell was perched on Ray’s shoulder, and Cookie was sat on the other. The sound of mewling penetrated the air.

Dream would have helped him, but they were on their 15.

He didn’t have to.

He took out his phone and started filming.

Ray groaned. “Dream, can you  _ please _ help me?!”

“Nah, this is cute,” he giggled, zooming in on Ray’s slightly disgruntled expression. “We just need some rugs or something and you’d fit in with the cat towers.”

“Dream, I need to work!”

“Do you?”

“Yes!”

Dream checked the time. “We’ve got 10 more minutes.”

Ray looked like he wanted to dust. But not really. There were cats everywhere. Who would want to dust when there were cats around? That’s just crazy talk.

You’re so weird, reader.

Anyways, Ray blinked as Sun flicked his tail into his eyesocket. “Ouch.”

Dream giggled as Sprinkle decided to join the mix, jumping from a nearby tower onto Ray’s shoulder and nearly knocking Cookie off in the process. The two hissed at each other defensively before Cookie pushed Sprinkle onto the floor. Sprinkle hissed at the other cat, and Cookie blepped. Dream picked Sprinkle up and placed them back onto the cat tower. Ray blinked at him. “So you’ll help the cats, but not me?”

“Yep. Or, well, until-” He checked the clock again. “-7 more minutes pass.”

Ray blinked. “Do I have to shower after this?”

Dream shrugged, taking a long sip of his iced mocha. “You’re not really handling any food, but probably. I’ll cover for you.”

“Thank goodness.”

“No, Ray, thank  _ me _ .” 

Light watched both of them from the doorway. “Are you two having fun?”

Ray looked at him with mock-betrayal on his face. “Does it look like it?” He replied, Sun’s tail still in his right eyesocket, only one eyelight visible. He waved his arms, which were draped with cat.

“Yes.”

“Please save me.”

“No.”

“Aww. I tried.”

“Anyways-” Light turned to Dream. “We have a… situation. Code K.”

“Oh  _ no. _ A Karen?!”

“Yep.”

Ray gasped. “I used to have a part-time job in retail when I was 13! We got those all the time. Can I handle this?”

“No, you’re being punished with cat.”

“Pleeeeeease? I need it for karma on Reddit.”

“Fine.” And thus, Dream and Light began detaching the multitude of felines from the newbie’s body, as said felines threw a hissy fit.

“Ma’am, please, we don’t even sell-”

“Where’s the gas pump? It was right out here a day ago!”

Ray sighed, and the human woman they had dubbed ‘Karen’ glared at him. “Ma’am, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but that is, perhaps, the  _ gas station next door? _ Not a coffee shop.”

“But it was  _ right here-” _

“Ma’am, I’m going to have to ask you to stop. You’re causing a s-”

“I will not stop until I get my refund!”

“Ma’am. This is your last warning.”

“You- you piece of monster  _ scum,  _ hiding our gas stations, stealing our ca _ -” _

Ray lifted his phone to his mouth. “Security.” he said, deadpan expression plastered onto his face, and the woman immediately blanched, before she scurried off into the outside world, never to be seen again by the employees.

Good for her. Ray didn’t want to be around when she discovered gravity took away her right to float on off into space, though if she did that he wouldn’t have to deal with her.

Dream walked over to him. “That was pretty good. But did you  _ actually-” _

Ray tapped a finger on his phone screen, which was completely dark. “Never even turned the thing on. Like I said, I worked in retail,” His expression shifted to a grin. “Gets ‘em every time.”

Light blinked as he was once more pounced upon by a certain cat named Cookie, who attached themself to one of his wings- agh, had he accidentally summoned those things again? That was annoying. He de-summoned them, and Cookie plummeted like a stone, landing on their feet- they were a cat, after all. They hissed at him, clearly annoyed, before strutting away, nose in the air, tail swishing behind them.

….okay then.

Cats were very, very strange like that.

It was just a part of their charm.

“...so my friend walks in and he just gets rose water. Like- who gets-  _ just _ rose water?!” Ray exclaimed, and Dream patted him on the back comfortingly. “Some people are just like that.”

“Yeah, but I’m like… I dunno, 92% sure he’s allergic to roses.”

“How did he find  _ that _ out?”

“He ate one when he was 10. Or 9. It’s hard to tell those two ages apart from each other.”

Dream stared at Ray, who blinked. “What? He was a kid.”

“But- why?”

“Someone dared him to.”

Dream nodded slowly. “That  _ actually  _ makes sense.”

“Also his brother did too. That… was a trip.”

Dream made a wise decision and stopped conversing with Ray at that point.

Someone who looked suspiciously similar to Cross walked in, and Dream was about to say his name when he realized that wasn’t Cross. He didn’t have the red scar on his cheek from…  _ that. _

He didn’t want to think about it.

They were about to walk up to the counter (and did their expression shift a little as they spotted Ray?) before they spotted someone else sitting at one of the tables and promptly turned around and exited the cafe.

...weird.

He wasn’t going to judge.

Joy turned and walked into the breakroom, digging through his bag, looking for his prescription- aha. There it was. Where was the water? He glanced around, and if you had been in there with him you probably would have noticed the slight despondency in his eyelights, like he wasn’t fully there. And then after a while you would have finally realized that he was, in fact, completely emotionless.

This wasn’t  _ his _ fault, and in all actuality it wasn’t all that rare a condition- a lot of monsters (mostly skeletons) were born with ‘broken’ SOULs.

They weren’t actually broken. It was just a rude term society had chosen for the condition. It was actually called ‘SOUL-slight’ because there was usually less of a SOUL present, hence ‘slight’ being used in the terminology. The SOUL was usually fragmented at birth (which was type A- the most common type) or it happened later on in life (which was type B, though most people never had their SOULs cracked to that point), in which case they would need intensive therapy.

In some cases, they didn’t exist at all, actually, and that was type C. A lot of people believed that that was just a myth- nobody could exist without a SOUL.

They could.

After all, Joy was one of those people.

There was a study that showed the diffusion of magic- SOUL magic, precisely- within the body that prevented it from being summoned- cases in which the SOUL had become, to put it quite simply, one with the person’s magic and body in such a way that the two could not be separated, lest they die.

There  _ was  _ medication for the side-effects of it- emotionlessness, and he had to take his dosage right about now.

...there’s the water.

Joy put the pill in his mouth, took a gulp of water, and down the hatch that bad boy went.

He had a single long break to compensate for the amount of time it took the pill to work. His 45 started… right about now.

He’d try to make the most of it.

Dream sighed, rubbing his temples. “Palette, you can’t go out with me,” He mumbled to the golden-white furred cat. “You’ve gotta stay here.” Palette mewled sadly, and he lifted the cat, putting him back inside the cafe. “Go on, Goth’s still inside anyways. And my apartment is pretty small too. I couldn’t take care of you even if I wanted to…”

Palette scampered back in as he shut the door behind the cat, locking the door as well. He turned to leave, and then turned back, the darkness of the cafe looming and dark. “I wonder…”

He mumbled to himself.

He thought for a moment more before walking down the sidewalk.

The thought was really silly anyways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyn, your simping is now canon!  
> ...And now you know why I asked you two about drinks.
> 
> Joy is Shandy's version of Dream from her Role Reversal AU, Light is Dreamswap Dream, and Ray's mine, from Aestheticverse, just for your information.
> 
> I personally have never worked at any sort of cafe, so this is how I imagine it'd go. I try, haha.
> 
> (Also, yes! The majority of the cats _are_ shipkids. A few of them aren't, but I couldn't care less, they're cats now.  
>  ~~...I think I've been RPing a bit too much, hehe.~~ )


	10. A Night At The Library

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Exactly what the title says.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...I typed this chapter in under a day. Send help.

...Nightmare was near exhausted. He just wanted coffee. And cats. Cats were good. And a book. Books were, dare he say it, even better than cats.

Ooh, Dream worked at that one cafe, right…? Yeah, he’d go there later.

He stood on the tips of his toes and tried to slide the book back into place, wincing when it fell and hit him on the head. Ouch. He rubbed the top of his skull, an annoyed expression clear on his face. That hurt.

He managed to get it up there eventually, however, and he sighed. Stars, his shift had just started and he’d already managed to mess that up… he was truly hopeless.

His non-existent ears picked up the sound of the double doors opening and he turned towards it. He squinted. Was that a drink? In  _ his  _ library?

Oh, no, the kid had put it in the garbage, crow-like wings fluttering behind… her? as she walked back to the computers. Personally, he didn’t think it was a good idea to have drinks near computers, but she could go off, he guessed.

Good. Now he didn’t have to deal with that. Oh, the ruckus it would make if she had spilled it on- on the  _ carpet, _ stars forbid.

That’d get annoying. Fast.

At least he had coffee to look forward to…?

Ah yes. He had coffee now.

...wait. He stood up with a jolt. He had the night shift tonight, right? Agh. That’s annoying, he just got out of work like 5 minutes ago. Checking Tumblr (or as Blue had so kindly dubbed it, ‘tumbly wumbly’) for a minute, going through his recommended blogs- the usual, really- he sighed, placed his phone in his pocket, and walked out of the coffee shop, waving at Dream as he did so, and making sure the door closed behind him as he left (and that no cats escaped- that would be very very bad for all parties involved), jaywalking across the street before walking right, taking a few le- oh. When had he gotten to work? It was like his feet moved on their own.

Strange.

He pushed open the door, walking back inside the musty, dark library with a sigh.

Work waits for no-one.

He kicked the last two stragglers who were in the library (they’d been typing on the computers, and from the looks and sounds of it, whatever they were writing seemed to be some pretty dark and/or angst-filled fanfiction) out, watching them walk away, the two teenagers lost in conversation, before he walked over to the light switches and flicked off the lights, watching them go out one by one.

He delighted in that sort of thing.

Realizing the doors were still hanging open, he walked over and shut both of the doors.

And then it happened.

_ Click! _ went the double doors, and the sound echoed through the dark, silent library.

Nightmare desperately jiggled the door’s handle.  _ No, no, no, no- _

It didn’t move an inch.

He dug through his pockets.

...of course he had to lose the keys.

Of course he was stuck in here.

Who even put  _ locks  _ on library doors? Nobody just-  _ steals _ a book in the middle of the night.

But he was locked in.

And of course he was the only one who worked the night shift… 

It wasn’t so bad, really- there were plenty of books, and maybe he could just get whomever had the first shift to let him out…? He didn’t feel up to calling someone. And it might be expensive, too… he couldn’t afford to do that- he barely made enough money as it was, with  _ his _ hobbies.

Regardless, he was suddenly a little miffed he had chosen to drink that espresso, because  _ now _ there was no way he could go to sleep and conveniently skip the next several hours of his life. Because that wasn’t how life worked- it wasn’t like his entire life was a fanfiction being written by some random teenager sitting in bed at 11:07 pm trying to type their first draft of a fic as quietly as possible, before going back and editing it at 4:33 pm the next day so that it surpassed 2k words- that would be silly, anyways.

Humming, he finally decided to read something until the caffeine wore off. Walking through the shelves, he quickly realized that it was far too dark for him to be able to make out any distinct signs of… anything, really, so he headed back towards the front desk to look for a flashlight.

He dug through the drawers, coming upon some candles and a lighter, for some odd reason, both of which he immediately pocketed, and then resumed searching. After searching through the lost and found, he miraculously procured some poor kid’s princess-themed flashlight. Brandishing it like one would brandish a sword or some other pointed piece of leather, wood, and metal, he turned back towards the dark, desolate library with a sigh.

This would be interesting.

And then he took his first step into a seemingly new plane of existence.

Nightmare felt like the protagonist of a horror movie, and he didn’t like it.

The spaces between the shelves were dark and empty.

Like an abyss. Or a black hole. Neither comparison was a particularly good (or, for that matter, comforting) one, but it was late and his mind couldn’t think of any better similies to use.

Casting a wary glance to his left, he swept the flashlight in a circle around him for the fifth time that minute. A cultist could never be  _ too _ careful, after all.

He continued onwards, his feet barely making any noise on the carpet before even that sound was swallowed up by the darkness.

He felt something cold and slimy twine around his leg, and he shuddered. Nothing. It was nothing. He was just imagining things. Obviously, he was paranoid. The sensation of the slimy thing lessened, and after a while he found he could ignore it just fine.

That was, until it started tugging.

He glanced down at it for the first time and quickly realized that it was not, in fact, a figment of his imagination. The goopy black tendril tightened its grip and he yanked his leg away from its grasp. It didn’t budge. “Let go!” he muttered, annoyed, and eventually he managed to tear through it with a squelch. The tentacle recoiled and Nightmare could have sworn that he heard a hissing sound as it did, retreating into the abyss-like darkness once more. There was still some goop attached to his leg, but he figured that since it was separated from the tentacle-thing it wasn’t going to hurt him. Maybe he could study it later.

He continued on his merry way, oblivious to the dangers that lurked in the dark.

Eventually he stopped, glancing upwards. These should be it.

Holding the flashlight up to the spines of the books, he tilted his head to better read each title as he scanned the shelves intently. Where…?

He paused, squinting at one of the books. It looked far older than most of the books here- it was so faded he couldn’t even read the title.

He slowly, gently slid it off of the shelf.

The cover was dusty, so he brushed some of it off, coughing when some of the dust got into his eyesockets and mouth. Bleh. He raised the flashlight in one hand and flipped the book open with the other, intent on deciphering its contents. It didn’t appear to have a title, and he had to wonder how old it was.

He flipped to the middle of the book and gasped, his eyelights shrinking. 

No  _ way. _

_ There was no way. _

His fingers brushed gently over the diagrams, and he barely dared to breathe as his eyelights darted across the page.

...he was suddenly glad he had drank that cup of coffee.

Rummaging through his pockets, he procured the candles and lighter and couldn’t help but let a small grin creep across his face. “Perfect,” he whispered, the word eaten up by the endless night, the void-like darkness only disrupted by the glaring light of the flashlight. Now all he needed was some paint.

And somewhere he could do this without making a mess.

He glanced at the clock.

_ Tick… _

The sound echoed through the empty room, and his eyelights darted from side to side, like he was expecting someone else to be there. Maybe he did. He wasn’t quite sure anymore.

_ Tock…  _

The clock struck 3, and he jolted upright, lighting the last candle.

He just wanted to test this spell out- he wasn’t using actual  _ blood _ , and instead just substituting paint (It was red. It worked. Or maybe it was orange…?), but he couldn’t be sure if he had gotten the measurements right. He flipped the page, and, in his haste, accidentally got a papercut.

_ Tick... _

He blinked at it a moment before gasping with a combination of horror and terror.

_ Oh  _ _ no _ _. _

A wind picked up out of nowhere, and the candles flickered- and the only thing Nightmare, poor, mortal Nightmare, could think was ‘oh no’.

_ Tock... _

Oh no indeed.

He stilled, breath catching in his throat.

_ Ti- _

A voice echoed throughout the roo- no, his mind,  _ “Who dares summon me?” _

…

...they sounded like a teenager.

_ “Oh my gods, you did  _ _ not _ _ just think that.” _

Definitely a teenager.

_ “My age is irrelevant, vessel!” _ they snapped. _ “State your business!” _

“Uhh…” He didn’t know what he was doing at  _ all _ . “...do you want to talk?”

_ “...you summoned a demon. To  _ _ talk. _ _ ” _

“Yyyyyes?”

_ “...that’s fair, I suppose.” _

He gave a sigh of relief. “So, what’s it like being a disembodied voice?”

_ “I have a form, it would just fry your brain if you saw it.” _

“Oh.” He had no idea what to say to any of this. He was just vibing.

_ “Haha! You’re so confused!” _

“I mean, yeah, it’s not every day I get to talk to a demon…”

It was…

What time was it?

He opened his eyes (when had they closed?) and glanced at the clock. It was 3:10.

...it had felt much longer.

He sighed, glancing at the melted candles and paint strewn frantically across the floor. He had to clean that up now.

He picked up the book, placed it on a shelf nearby next to the flashlight, and began to clean up the mess- he grabbed a mop, soaked it, and proceeded to scrub the paint off of the floor.

He finished cleaning at 3:46, picked up the book and flashlight and walked back out.   
He made it to the front desk before yawning and resting his head on top of his hands, closing his eyes, with the book placed in his lap.

He’d just… nap for a few minutes.

He groaned, rubbing at his eyesockets. Mumbling something along the lines of ‘too bright,’ he raised a hand to cover his face and shield him from the light.

...wait.

He stood up, stretched, and then glanced at the clock.

It wasn’t too late…

Only 11:49 AM. He was briefly filled with a sense of panic- he would be late for wo-

...he was already  _ at _ work. And he didn’t even work today. Stars dammit.

Oh well, it was a nice thought. Kind of.

He walked around, watching the light filter through the windows, feeling like something was so incredibly, indescribably  _ off. _

And then it hit him.

He ran back to the front desk where he had fallen asleep, searching frantically.

The book was gone- like it had never been. It was disconcerting. He… he remembered it, that book without a name-

No… wait… he remembered… something.

There were runes on the spine.

Purple ones.

They glowed.

Sometimes they flickered green.

The shade of green one would associate with nuclear waste, or something acidic- toxic.

...wait. There weren’t.

There weren’t any runes.

That wasn’t right.

The runes were never there.

Then why were they burned into his mind…?

It was like a photograph- he remembered it clearly. 

_ The spine had been covered in glowing runes, flickering and changing colour as they glowed. The leatherbound book in his hands was thin and light, and he flipped to the first page… _

And yet, it had never been.

He groaned, rubbing his forehead. What was going on…? Sitting down for a moment, he rested his chin on his knees, trying to think.

He-

He felt a stabbing pain in his head and the world went dark.

Nightmare blinked awake, sitting up with a yawn. Placing his hands into the pockets of his hoodie, he tried to remember what he had been doing. There was a book… and sunlight.

Sunlight?   
Oh, right- stuck in the library. It wasn’t so bad.

He bet the book wasn’t important anyways- it was just a book, after all. The less he thought about it, the more his headache lessened, and after a while it vanished completely.

The headache (and the memories) were completely gone.

A hand in his pocket, Nightmare waited by the door, leaning against the wall and scrolling through fics on AO-

His phone had died, the screen gone dark.

Nightmare groaned, thrusting his hands into his pockets in his annoyance. “Starsdammit!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was literally just filler i wanted to write jflkadlkjklfdslfsd  
> the book is hardly relevant.  
> what book are you even talking about???? i don't know of any book in this chapter anyways.
> 
> Also we're somehow nearly to 1,000 hits??? Which is?? Amazing?? Thanks for reading, I love you all! <3


	11. Headaches and Coffee Dates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things. They happen.  
> This? This isn't one of the good ones, though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...I mean, c'mon. You guys asked for it.  
> I wrote this in... what? Under a day? My head hurts just a little bit, heehee.
> 
> Anyways, enjoy your gay disasters.
> 
> Edit: ALSO I FORGOT TO SAY SOMEHOW WE PASSED 1,000 HITS AND WE'RE NEARING 100 KUDOS LIKE W O T

“So,” Ink started, staring down at Dream, who was currently strapped into a chair with bungee cords, rope, and tape, staring back at the crazed skeleton before him like this was a common occurrence. Because it probably was. “We need to get your brother and Blue together. Hook ‘em up with each other.”

Dream nodded his silent assent before asking, “Why am I in this chair?”

“So you can’t leave!”

“Why would I want to leave?”

“I’m so glad you asked!” Ink flipped a switch and the lights went off. Dream blinked impassively. Ink frowned before opening Youtube and playing Crab Rave on it at full volume. Dream began to disassociate. Ink connected his phone to the Bluetooth speakers around the room and began playing a bass boosted version.

Dream began to disassociate even more. “Are you done?” He asked, after a minute of enduring Ink’s psychosis. 

Ink looked like he was going to break out into heart-wrenchingly pitiful and obnoxious and unnecessarily  _ loud _ fake sobs. “I thought that would work…”

“Can you please get on with it? I have work in…” Dream checked his watch. “Uh, 30 minutes.”

Ink sighed. “So, they’re both idiots.”

“Sustained, continue.”

“We can either lock ‘em in a closet, or we can make them go on pseudo-dates.”

“...first option is a no, second one… yeah, let’s do that.”

“Ooh! We should make them go to the movies!”

“Yes. We  _ could _ all ‘buy’ tickets and then ditch them at the last minute.”

“Ooh,” Ink said, like a deranged primate. “Sounds like a solid plan, Dreamboat!”   
Dream blinked in surprise. “Did- did you just-”

“Might’ve.”

“...well, that was certainly a thing that happened.” Dream murmured, before standing up, having undone his binds during the conversation, to Ink’s dismay.

_ There was an apple tree. _

_ It… was important. _

_ He knew that much. _

_ The apples were weird but somehow, normal. _

_ He felt his gaze drawn to the right side of the tree. The one with black apples. Surely that wasn’t healthy? Or maybe they were just like that. _

_ He looked down at his hands, and found he was holding a black one, and had taken a bite of it, the juice dripping down from the apple and staining his hands with sticky juice, the same clear purple-black substance dribbling down his chin. There was yelling. Loud yelling. Most of it was meaningless insults and jabs- and yet, they still stung. _

_ And then, out of nowhere, he felt a stabbing pain in his back and he yelped but it came out more a scream of terror and of pain and suddenly he couldn’t think and someone yelled his name and there was blood everywhere and so much  _ _ pain _ _ that h- _

Nightmare woke up in a cold sweat with a strangled yell.

What.

The.

Hell.

What- He raised a hand to his back, gently skirting a phalange or two over the bone there. It… felt completely fine. That was just a dream. He was fine.

A really  _ vivid _ dream, but all the same… that was scary.

He sighed, pulling his knees to his chest and hugging them tightly. That had been really weird. He doubted he’d be able to sleep now… he checked the time and blinked. 3 AM. Of course. The witching hour.

Just his horrible luck, he supposed.

Trying not to have a panic attack, he breathed in and out slowly, in and out, in and out, in and out and in and ou-

After a few minutes he managed to calm down. He. Was. Fine. He wasn’t panicking, he was completely fine, he just needed to stay  _ calm. _

He sighed.

Stars… what was that?

He doubted he’d be able to sleep now. He pulled out his phone and resigned himself to scrolling through tumblr dot com.

Nightmare woke up again hours later, having fallen into a dreamless sleep while he was mindlessly scrolling through his phone. He sighed, absently rubbing an itchy spot on his leg-

...was bone supposed to be squishy? His phalanges had sunk slightly into his tibia like it was some sort of half-melted metal. He frowned, glancing down at the spot. That… wasn’t right. He pulled off the covers, sitting half-cross legged, the offending leg resting on top of the other. He frowned deeper- it had turned just a little black-purple-ish in colour, sharply contrasting the white bone it was surrounded by. That was… huh. Weird. 

It was probably just a bruise.

Yeah.

Totally.

Just… a little bruise.

He could live with that.

_ “You’re not in the right here, D̸͚͊͌͑̊̔r̸̫̯͛̿̎̑̾͘͝͝ē̷͙̥̆͋̒͑ȃ̸̪̾͌͆́͂̀̇̎͠m̵̅̿̈ͅ!” he exclaimed. “You never have been!” He was filled with such a boiling rage and anger and he just needed to get it  _ _ out _ _ somehow. Taking a step forwards, he scowled at the yellow-clad skeleton standing before him, DETERMINATION writ clear across his face. “N̵̼͑͝i̸̙͑g̷̟͘h̷̜̥̾̊͜͝t̴̞̅͑̅m̴̧a̸̲̳͌̐r̷͈̽̈́e̴̝̯̰̾̌̃, stop thi-” _

_ “Don’t call me that,” he hissed, phalanges slowly curling into fists. “Do you  _ _ want _ _ to test me?” _

_ He waited for a response. _

_ There was none. _

_ D̵͇͈͇̠̑̈́̿͘r̵͚e̶͍̹̱̻̾̀̈́́̕ã̶̛̖̙͈̆̎̊̎̌͐m̵̧̞̓̈̒͐ just stared back at him with steady, unwavering yellow eyelights. _

_ His face split with a sickeningly wide grin. “Pop quiz, D̴̡̘̯͖̤͚̻̍̎͐̋̓̂̚r̸̹̗͎͎͓̂́̾̅̈́͘͝e̸̡̛̖̙͍̊̕a̷̗͚̬̠̠͒͒̈́͝m̸̢̹̤̩͙͎͌̐̒̆̕b̶̻͈͓̥̥̲͗̊̏͗̂̅̕͜͜o̷̫̪̽a̷͎̅t̷̨̤͋̉́͋͘~ I hope you’ve been studying.” _

It wasn’t getting any smaller.

In fact, nearly a week had passed and it had managed to get  _ larger. _ Also for some odd reason it smelled (don’t ask how he knew what it smelled like, let alone  _ why _ he’d smelled it) like apple cider. He was genuinely beginning to panic now- this wasn’t exactly normal. He’d attempted to use Google, but the internet was- and really, it always had been- annoyingly unreliable at worst and semi-accurate at best, and he hadn’t found any  _ credible  _ reason for this weird... mark-bruise thingy to exist.

...well, there  _ was _ that one myth.

But that was just that- a myth.

Though, he couldn’t stop thinking about that night at the library. It had been… strange. There were gaps in what he could remember, memories shifting left and right… it was- oh, what was the word? Supernatural! That was it!

...Paranormal.

And maybe if the supernatural was real (and he kinda sorta had proof of that, didn’t he..?), myths probably were too- but that one didn’t have any sort of happy ending in all of its retellings, or even one that was good in the slightest, and so he didn’t  _ want  _ to believe in it.

...and to top it all off, the strange dreams gave him constant headaches, but that was the least of his problems right now.

_ “N̸̘̙i̴̦̦̒g̶̩͈̭͆̿̈́ḥ̴͓̳̍t̸̺̓m̷͙͠ȧ̶͍͕̏r̴̞͇̎̎͑e̸͚̽͛, stop-” D̶̰̘̉r̷͔͋̋͌e̶̤̖͉̊ȃ̵̠̐m̶͖͕̦̍͝ yelped in pain as a tendril forced its way into his sternum, ribs cracking and bones splintering and shattering. The skeleton screamed and the sound was music to his ears. He was vaguely aware of the fact his hands- and clothes- were drenched in blood. _

_ The smaller skeleton opened his mouth again and screamed, his voice catching on a sob, “Nightmare!” _

He woke up, his hands shaking and his mouth dry.

What-

He looked at said hands, holding them up to his face, fully expecting to see bloodstains there.

What was going on?

He groaned, rubbing his head.

...honestly, these days- sometimes he felt more like two people than one person.

But that wasn’t right.

Right?

Because he was Nightmare- the only one out there.

He was… himself. And only himself.

And that was the truth.

Intrusive…  _ dreams _ . That was all they were.

Blue hummed, sifting through the shelves of books upon books upon books, papers- pages bound together by words and glue, polymers and res- oh, there it was. He slipped it off of the shelf, making sure it was the right book, and then wandered off in the general direction of the checkout desk before stopping when he realized who was manning it.

He had the  _ worst _ luck, didn’t he…?

It just  _ had _ to be Nightmare. Taking a deep breath in, he walked up and plopped the books onto the desk. “Hi.”

Nightmare had been spacing out (read: disassociating) when he heard Blue’s voice and immediately, his consciousness locked onto it like a homing missile. He blinked, slowly realizing what was happening. “Wha- oh, heya, person I totally don’t know.”

“...this isn’t awkward at all,” Blue murmured quietly, still refusing to make eye contact.

Nightmare nodded silent agreement, picking up the book and scanning it. The ‘beep’ of the scanner reading the barcode resounded through the library, making Blue jump. “Sorry, guess I’m just a little bit jumpy today,” he mumbled, finally looking into Nightmare’s purple eyelights. Nightmare smirked just a bit and he died just a little bit more on the inside. How could someone manage to be so effortlessly flawless? Surely it wasn’t legal, right…?

He realized he might be staring and blinked, picking up the book. “I’m just… going to go now.”

Nightmare watched him leave just a little sadly. He’d have liked to talk a little more- it wasn’t all that often that he got someone interesting at work.

And none before had managed to be even a  _ little  _ bit as interesting as Blue.

Nightmare blinked, glancing at his phone. Oh hey, he had a break now. Might as well do shit, he guessed. He stood up and after a moment of indecision, walked over, pushed open the double doors, and walked out.

Nightmare sipped at his drink, staring absently at the door to the library as it swung open by some random… kid? He was trying to figure that out before he looked a little closer and noticed they had a floaty crown-thingy. Huh. Cool. They seemed pretty valid.

He took another sip of his drink, sighing. Was he supposed to have said drink? No. Did he care? Also no. He was the current manager (well, of the current staff, of which there were only himself and two others) and thus nobody could tell him what to do. He could put his feet on his desk and nobody could stop him! He was immune to any and all commands! In fact- he swung his legs onto the desk with a victorious grin.

Nothing could stop him now, he was all-powerful, he was the one, the only-

“Nightmare, do you… have a drink?”

Nightmare would have paled if he could have, but alas, he was a skeleton and already pale as could be. He slowly turned in his swivel chair towards the voice, arching a browbone when he noticed who it was. “I thought you left.”

Blue shifted in place, sending a sideways glance towards the sign that very clearly read ‘NO DRINKS ALLOWED’ before shrugging and looking at the floor. “Yeah, so… turns out I needed some textbooks for… you know.”

“School sucks.” Nightmare replied knowingly.

Blue groaned. “It does.”

“F in the chat, my guy. So what can I do ‘ya for?”

Blue glanced at his legs, which were on the desk, before looking up at Nightmare, before looking back down. Nightmare followed his line of-

Oh.

The little mark-thing that had remained a mystery for the whole of the month it had existed.

“...that’s weird.”

“I know.”

“It looks like an apple.”

“I… what?”

Blue shrugged, face flushing a little. “I- I dunno, it just… kinda looks like an apple. Apple-shaped.” He paused before asking tentatively, “Can I… poke it?”

“...go ahead,” Nightmare shrugged.

Blue poked the discoloured bone, making a face as his phalange sunk into it. “That’s definitely  _ not  _ normal.”

“Yeah. The Internet didn’t help with figuring things out either… so… I guess I’ll just live with it.”

Blue hesitated before starting,“You know that one myth where-”

“Yeah,” he cut in, before internally flinching at the slight traces of hurt in the other’s expression. He may have sounded a little snappish. “...I don’t want to think about what’ll happen if it’s real.”

“Understandable,” Blue murmured, before sighing. “Well, I’ll… see you around.” He turned to leave.

Nightmare, making a hasty choice, decided to rectify his mistake. Swinging his legs back off of the desk, he stood up. “Wait-”

Blue turned back around. “What?”

Nightmare paused. Well, he couldn’t exactly back out now… “Do you…” He looked away from Blue awkwardly for a moment and then looked back again. “Want to get coffee or something later…?”

He was awkward, and his  _ words _ were awkward- they didn’t radiate confidence at all. And yet, seeing that small spark of joy lighting up Blue’s eyelights made the question and the anxiety worth it, because the second he saw it he knew that his answer would be-

“Yes.”

Nightmare couldn’t help but smile- a genuine smile, not the kind he plastered on when he had to deal with customers he didn’t want to, but a real one, the kind that made its way into his lavender-purple eyelights and lit them up from the inside out, and not just  _ that _ , but the rare, special kind that you’d only give someone you considered to be truly special, and the one thought that went through their minds as one was  _ He’s so perfect when he smiles. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two things I'll mention before I set you loose into the comments section:  
> One: The reason I released this so fast was because someone actually suggested something happen (thanks, Dapper) and I figured out how to work it in, so if you want anything to happen, please tell me because I'll either try my best to put it in somewhere or I'll have an epiphany and make it plot.  
> Two: i now have gotten a girlfriend, somehow (and she's the best) and thus i now know how the [REDACTED] confession goes. =)
> 
> Okay, you little gremlins, go on and comment so I know what you liked and whatnot. :)


	12. We Interrupt This Program For Crerror

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I wonder what Cross and Error have been up to?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> have some very very very very short filler while I scream about plot things.  
> i need scenes  
> i need words  
> please send help XD

Cross had realized that he didn’t need an apartment after all- he could just live with Error.

That was practically what he was doing, after all.

Even though he hated the sheer blankness.

It reminded him of…

_ “Stop, p- p- pl- please, dad- I didn’t mean-” he sobbed, begging  _ _ him _ _ not to- _

_ The door slammed shut and he heard the tell-tale click of a lock. _

_ He wailed, hugging his knees to his sternum and trembling. It was only a plate it was only a plate only a plate only a plate messed up he messed up he broke it he broke it he’s broken- _

_ ‘You’re lonely, aren’t you?’ _

_ He was. _

_ And the voice was back. _

_ ‘Do you need help?’ _

_ He shook his head. W- what would his fa- what would  _ _ he _ _ do if he found out…? _

_ He was a good kid! Good! _

_ X refused to believe he was anything  _ _ but _ _ good. _

…he didn’t know what. He couldn’t remember. 

But it still scared him. And it felt unsafe.

Well… not unsafe.

Like disappointment.

Like failure.

Like punishment.

Error always ended up making it a little better, he guessed.

And he  _ had _ gotten more things (even though it probably wasn’t for him, mind shut up Error didn’t feel that way-) to fill the usually empty space. There was a couch now, which he appreciated.

And also a blanket fort with fairy lights sometimes. Only sometimes though. They liked to hide chocolate in there. It was fun.

He mostly stayed at the other’s place because he could hardly afford to pay bills right now- he had just gotten the apartment before anyone else could. In retrospect, the idea was stupid and he was stupid.

Oh well.

He sighed. “Error, buddy, what do you want to watch?”

“You pick.”   
He grinned. “You sure?”

“Yes.” Error mumbled, sinking into his blanket and pillows sleepily. “Go ahead.”

Cross scrolled through Netflix on his laptop (which he had obtained through  _ completely legal means _ hahaha why would you ever think otherwise you’re a worse conspiracy theorist than he is!) and selected one from the many he had saved. Error instantly blanched as the introductory sequence began to play and he realized what mistake he had made. He was a complete and utter buffoon, was he not? Of course he had to pick this one.

And it wasn’t even Shrek.

It was The Bee Movie, otherwise known as one of the memeiest movies of all time.

Error groaned as Cross began reciting the entire script. Of course the dork had it memorized.

Eventually Cross switched the movie to something more suitable- Error hadn’t bothered reading the name of it. He hugged his chocolate and popcorn to his sternum as Cross attempted to steal both of them again. He hissed. Cross hissed back. And then broke into peals of laughter, forcing him to rewind the last 5 minutes of the movie.

At some point he and Cross had moved so they were right next to each other, and he strangely didn’t mind.

And if he fell asleep and ended up leaning on Cross… that was none of your business, anyways.

Cross blinked as Error leaned on him and began subconsciously intertwining their phalanges. He smiled just a little, the unconscious show of affection sweet to him. Like the chocolate he was currently consuming.

He rested his head on the other’s and stared at the screen, getting more tired with every passing second.

He ended up falling asleep as well.

Error woke up to the credits rolling, and Cross asleep and resting his head on top of the black and glitchy skeleton’s own skull. He nearly crashed when he realized something.

It… didn’t burn.

Maybe it was how drowsy he was.

But it wasn’t bad.

Not by any means.

So he leaned into it, touch-starved and needing this, and slowly but surely began to purr gently.

He held on to Cross like he was a lifeline.

Because it sure felt like it, sometimes.

Cross woke up first.

Error had latched onto him and started using him as the other’s personal teddy bear at some point. He didn’t mind. He actually happened to like it. He grinned, gently patting the other’s skull. Error shifted in his sleep, mumbling something. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

And he was going to make the most of it.

Error woke up to being gently pet. He smiled, blushing a little bit, and nuzzled into the-

Wait.

_ Physical contact. _

He screeched, sitting upright. “GET OFF OF ME.”

Cross snickered. “You liked it.”

“I DID NOT.”

“You did too.”

“DID NOT!”

“Did too.”

_ “DID NOT!”  _

“Did not.”

“DID T-  _ UGH!”  _ he wailed, burying his head in his hands before shoving Cross off of him and standing up, face still covered in electric-blue blush. “I challenge  _ you-”  _ He pointed a claw-like phalange at Cross, anime (villain, he refused to be called a-) protagonist style. “-to a paintball match.”

“1 versus 1?” Cross inquired, brow furrowed.

“No,” Error smirked, pushing his glasses (oh shit, Cross had seen him in his glasses- oh, wait, he knew that he had them, it was fine) up with one finger. Cross blinked at him, awaiting the verdict.  _ “Everyone in the block.” _

Cross blinked once more, frowning as he raised a hand, tapping his chin as he thought...

He had to defend his honor.

He stood.

He took the hand tightly. Error gripped it tighter. They kept fighting for dominance before both of them realized it was stupid and stopped.

He shook it, staring Error right in his mismatched eyelights, face set with DETERMINATION.

“Game on.”


	13. An Inky Situation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Group chat shenanigans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)  
> some filler before the storm

Nightmare: doot

Blue: doot

Blue: aww my nickname got changed back >:|

Nightmare: lmao sucks to be you

Blue: :’(

Error: don’t mkea ur bf cyr

Dream: error get autocorrect

Error: lamo no

Ink: i read that as lamb

Error: dumabss

Ink: hehe you typed abs

Ink: silly error

Blue: y’all are dumbasses i’m leafing

Nightmare: D:

Dream: you are all idiots

Dream: i’m at work trying not to laugh i hope you’re happy

Blue: DOOT

Nightmare: DOOT!

Dream: uhm

Error: stop doing doot

Cross: doot doot

Blue: that’s a fish

Nightmare: boop

Blue: noot

Nightmare: AAAAAAA

Blue: noot noot

Ink: NOOT NOOT NOOT NOOT

Ink: NOOT

Ink: NOOT

Blue: stop

Ink: NOOT

Ink: NOOT

Nightmare: w

Ink: NOOT

Ink: NOOT

Ink: NOIT

Blue: stop

Ink: NOOT 

Ink: NIIT

Ink: NIFDSNLFJl

Ink: that problem’s solved

Blue: oh new person

Blue: hello

Ink: hi

Blue: who are you?

Ink: pale

Nightmare: blue how do you type so fast

Dream: It’s not hard

Nightmare: who??? Are you

Ink: inks cousin

Ink: how are all of you

Blue: good!!!

Nightmare: fine

Error: ink hasb a cousdfin?

Dream: i’m home now and

Dream: why did we not know this?

Ink: im not that cool dont worry about it

Blue: :( you seem cool to me

Ink: yeah 

Ink: thanksfskfjkjsdfkdjsklfsklfjsfwoeiur2 9040u2gklefm

Ink: flkajsof wu092oik283 fhidsknx

Dream: oh, that’s a shame.

Ink: FKflksajlkMLFKSJDFJEwofjo42 

Ink: fksldafhhhhi dsguys i’ m bac

Ink: k

Dream: oh dear

Blue: :( bring ur cousin backkkkkk

Ink: :’( u h8 me

Dream: where did your grammar go

Error: fskfjck off squid

Blue: *squonts* i see a naughty word.

Cross: blue stfu

Blue: no i won’t

Error: there a ere no naughtre wores

Blue: nooooooooooooooooo

Blue: :(

Error: no naugehter worse d

Nightmare: hehe naughter worse d

Dream: why is that funny to you

Nightmare: idk

Blue: lmao

Dream: okay then

Error: meanies

Cross: >:( i will fite you

Blue: come at me punk

Cross: oh yeah btw

Cross: glitchy and i

Error: don’t call me that or i will pun t you

Cross: are going to go do paintball

Cross: do you wish to join or nu :(

Ink: how many ships can i get together in a day?

Dream: uh

Ink: that was a yes btw

Ink: heheo

Cross: uh alirghty then

Blue: sure

Nightmare: look at what you’ve done now i have to go

Blue: qnq sowwy

Nightmare: dont be

Blue: :D

Cross: gay

Blue: D:

Nightmare: shut ur up yuoru gay for errosr you have no asy in it

Error: crsso doesn’ tfee l the g ay for asjey onew

Ink: turn

Ink: on   
Ink: autocorrect

Ink: dumbass

Blue: NAUGHT Y WORD AQUIRED

Blue: PERMISSION TO SHOOT

Nightmare: *shoots self*

Blue: *cries*   
Cross: :0

Error: *plays the kaozzo over u rgrac ve*

Dream: don’t do that *sweats nervously*

Blue: DREAM CAN RP

Nightmare: OWO

Blue: HE’S NOT UNCULTURED LMAOOOOOO

Error: ohsf show the dteun tablse

Ink: turn on autocorrect now or your chocolate gets it

Error: :(

Cross: don’t threaten our chocolate

Ink: gay

Blue: gay

Nightmare: gay

Dream: I can’t RP.

Blue: o-o eys you can

Nightmare: *yes

Blue: >:0

Dream: no i can’t.

Blue: oop dream lost his grammar

Dream: What? No, I didn’t.

Blue: >:)

Nightmare: you d id

Error: lol dubmass

Ink: hhehehehhe

Blue: oi ink

Ink: yyyyessss

Blue: how many cousins do you have

Ink: uh

Error: pff like he’ll remember

Ink: at least 2

Blue: invite them i dare you

Ink: okie

Ink: hoohoo

[Ink invited Pale to the group chat.]

[Ink invited Dye to the group chat.]

Pale: hi

Dye: oh my god ink stop it

[Dye has left the group chat]

Pale: oh no the only sane person here lef

Pale: t

Ink: rip you ig

Blue: lmao you’re both forks

Nightmare: uh

Dream: blue are you okay

Blue: yeah sure

Dream: … 

Pale: why am i here

Ink: because they told me to invite you!!!

Pale: oh

Pale: do i have to stay

Ink: nah you can leave

Pale: :| okay

Ink: …

Blue: you’re actually staying?

Blue: nice

Nightmare: can i interest you in joining a cult

Pale: no

Nightmare: :(

Blue: :(

Error: dnot’ its he’ll

Pale: you need autocorrect

Dream: We’ve been trying to tell him.

Error: sftu

Pale: get yourself autocorrect

Error: ni

Blue: dewit

Nightmare: dewit

Cross: dewit

Error: crisis has ferseaken me

Blue: CRISIS

Nightmare: FSDKJLFSJLFDSK

Dream: oh my stars you did not

Blue: merry crisis

Cross: you just called me a meanie name and now i am sad :(

Error: on ilelalg

Dream: error please turn on autocorrect we’re begging you

Error: funk you

Blue: *squonts* i’ll let that slide

Nightmare: no swearing 

Error: what ru goanna do 2 me

Pale: you are all very chaotic

Ink: i know

Error: i;m leavieng

Blue: aww

Error: fufkn yosy

Blue: oh my stars you don’t even make any sense anymore

Nightmare: what the heck error

Cross: :( he called me a crisis, and this hurt my feelings, i am now leaving and i won’t return goodbye forever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever. amen

Dream: uh

Blue: bye??? ig

Blue: o shit i have to slemp

Dream: uh, language??

Blue: stfu dream

Dream: uhm… okay

Nightmare: lmao suckerrrrrrrrrr

Dream: meanie

Nightmare: meanie

Cross: lmao

Cross: i’m slemp too

Cross: for realsies

Dream: i suppose i should sleep as well

Nightmare: lmao y’all need actual real life sleeps while i just feast upon fear

Dream: stfu brother

Nightmare: calm down dreamboat

Nightmare: now go bed

Pale: i’m leaving

Pale: bye

[Pale has left the group chat]

Nightmare: and then there was one

Nightmare: hehe…

Ink: LMAO W R O N G

Ink:  **_I’M ALWAYS WATCHING. =)_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dye- DS!Ink  
> Pale- ...he's Pale, what did you expect?
> 
> error should get autocorrect. i am literally keysmashing for each word he types.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, and have fun with life!


End file.
